Informal settlements have over time evolved informal systems of land tenure relations and management. Title registration in these settlements represents a significant departure from these systems. This study explores the behavioural and spatial changes that result from title registration using a case study from the city of Blantyre, Malawi from the point of view of two hypotheses:
-title registration in informal settlements will change behaviour in land transfer and development and increase tenure security perception and
-the behaviour after titling shall manifest itself spatially through investment and spatial development patterns. Correlation of behaviour and spatial changes was achieved by comparing behavioural data collected from ground surveys and spatial data derived from time series aerial photographs. The study has found that title registration in informal settlements has limited capacity to change behaviour. In turn, spatial changes reflect continued haphazard development. While informality still persists universally, formality is beginning to exist only marginally alongside the informal especially among those with substantial investment. The attraction of the informal system seems to stem from the social
support infrastructure that is embedded in it. The study argues that in order to ensure that title registration is relevant to the needs of the community as well as land administrators and policy makers, the cultural dimension should be considered when incorporating informal tenure rights into formal registered titles. The study recommends an approach
that is based on building on existing local forms of informal registration and land development management rather than trying to impose institutions modelled on imported systems. In other words policy makers should be moving away from a ‘replacement paradigm’ in which informal systems are legislated out towards an ‘adaptation paradigm’ where such systems are recognised, clarified and formalised.