Mislaid House Deeds

Mislaid House Deeds

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Overview

Many of our customers have been under the illusion that they had lost their House Deeds, when in fact the property was registered and the Deeds unnecessary. Other customers who have in actuality lost their Deeds, do not know how they can prove ownership. This article will clarify what you should do in either circumstance.

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Is the Property Registered?

If you cannot find your House Deeds the first step to take is to check if it is registered. Submitting an application for a copy of the Title Register will tell you:

1. If your property is registered. If it is you will be sent a copy of the Title Register. In this case your ownership document is the Title Register and the Deeds are superfluous.

2. If your property is not registered the application will tell you if there is an application for registration pending, which would mean that either you have purchased the property in the last year or so but the Land Registry have not completed the registration process yet, or else that another person has applied for registration of the property. You will be sent details of the application details so that you can determine what further action, if any, to take.

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Unregistered Properties

If your property is not registered and you are unable to find your Deeds you can still obtain a registration, but it may be limited to a Possessory Title, which is not as good as an Absolute Title. Possessory Titles may dissuade purchasers from buying your property if you decide to sell. Accordingly, every effort should be made to find your Deeds.

You should check the following, which are common places where house owners keep their Deeds:

• Your attic or basement
• A filing cabinet, if you have one
• Your bank
• Your former mortgagee
• Your relatives
• A safety deposit box

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Possessory Title

Where, despite your best efforts, you are unable to trace your Deeds you should collate as much of the following as you can:

• Photocopies of any Deeds that may be stored separately.
• Other documents you have that would prove your ownership, e.g. letters from your solicitors and estate agents.
• A completion statement, which your solicitor will have sent you when you purchased the property. This shows the amount you paid, other expenses, and the date you made payment.
• Mortgage statements.
• Bank statements bearing the property address.
• Council tax receipts for the property.
• Utility bills bearing your property address.

You should place the above in a folder and make an appointment to see a solicitor or conveyancer. They will require these documents. They will also need to know if you have checked with the Land Registry that the property is not registered, so you should include the documents or emails we send to you in your folder. It would be very helpful to your solicitor and to the Land Registry if you were to index the documents.

Your solicitor will apply to the Land Registry for registration of your ownership. Depending on the documents you produce you are only likely to obtain a Possessory Title, but after 12 years you can apply to have this Title upgraded to an Absolute Title.

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Get a copy of your Deeds

If your property is registered getting a copy of your Deeds is simple. Click the button blelow, complete the form and all digitally held information will be quickly sent to you by email.

Get a copy of your Deeds