Practice Direction for the Lands Chamber of the Upper Tribunal: Electronic filing – CE-File

Lands Chamber (Upper Tribunal)Practice Direction

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  1. In this practice direction: references to numbered Rules are to the rules so numbered in the Tribunal Procedure (Upper Tribunal) (Lands Chamber) Rules 2010;
    “the Tribunal” means the Lands Chamber of the Upper Tribunal;
    “legal representative” has the same meaning as in rule 11;
    “professional representative” means a legal representative, chartered
    surveyor or other professional person appointed to represent a party in
    proceedings.
  2. CE-File is the online system for filing documents electronically at the Tribunal. It is the ‘secure portal’ referred to in rule 13, and as such it may be used by any party or their representative (whether a professional representative or not) to provide documents to the Tribunal.
  3. Users must register to create an account to use CE-File.
  4. In proceedings that are started in the Tribunal on or after 4 October 2023, any document (including a notice of reference, notice of appeal, or application for permission to appeal) provided to the Tribunal by a party who has appointed a professional representative to represent them in the proceedings must be provided using CE-File.
  5. Any document which is provided to the Tribunal using CE-File must—
    (a) be in PDF format (or in Excel format if appropriate) unless the document is a draft order, in which case it shall be in “Word” format;
    (b) not exceed 50 megabytes or such other limit that may be specified by His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service; and
    (c) be categorised or labelled as to the type of document that it is (e.g. “Application”, “Notice of Reference”, “Witness Statement”) and numbered sequentially.
  6. If a document is too large to be filed using CE-File users should contact the Tribunal at Lands@justice.gov.uk providing the case reference and a description of the document. Instructions for filing will be given by the Tribunal.
  7. The requirement to use CE File will cease if a matter is transferred to another tribunal in which the use of CE-File is not mandatory.
  8. CE-File will sometimes be unavailable due to (e.g.) planned maintenance. The requirement to use CE-File does not apply during periods when CE-File is unavailable. Any party will be allowed to provide documents by other permitted means during such periods. This practice direction is made by the Senior President of Tribunals with the agreement of the Lord Chancellor under section 23 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007.

Sir Keith Lindblom
Senior President of Tribunals
27 September 2023

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