Bank or Solicitors have lost my Title Deeds

Meldrews_wife

I paid off my mortgage, and when nothing was sent to me I contacted Barclays to request the title deeds. After some months and no action, I contacted them again, and was advised that they did not have the deeds, as their file showed they had been sent to the solicitors acting in the purchase at the time of purchase.
This sounded a bit unrealistic to me, but I contacted the solicitors, who told me they would have had no reason to request the deeds, and had not done so. Back to Barclays, who still say they have sent me the couple of bits of paper they had on file, and there is nothing else.
Both Barclays and the solicitors have advised me that I do not 'need' the deeds in order to sell the property, but surely that is not the point?

Natty082

Last time I moved I had a letter from my solicitors stating Banks no longer held the deeds and they were forwarding me the deeds for safe keeping.... It was sent 4 months after tho!

IHS88

Hi Meldrews wife

You mentioned that Both Barclays and the solicitors have advised you that you do not 'need' the deeds in order to sell the property.

I am not a solicitor but do have a little experince with this.

Last year I had an offer accepted on a property I wished to purchase. When the matter went to solicitors it stalled as there were no title deeds.

My solicitor could not proceed and a sale could not occur until title deeds turned up. I'm concerned that this differs from what your solicitor told you.

Vendor and vendor's solicitor searched everywhere but to no avail. In the end, new title deeds had to be prepared for a sale to proceed. This I was informed would take 3-5 months.

I pulled out of the sale as the market turned for the worst during this time.

You might not want to sell right now but I would ensure that replacement documents are prepared now.

Get to the bottom of this and charge the last person to have the deeds for the cost of replacement.

New deeds will probably cost £600.

What a hassle!

Catti

Sometimes there are very few 'deeds' available. For a registered title, the actual documents are retained electronically at the Land Registry, and it is only other documents like old searches, planning permissions, copy deeds, that may be sent to the buyer. Whilst these are useful to have when selling, they are not essential to ownership and it is probably this that your bank and solicitors are saying to you.

Catti

IHS88 wrote: »

Hi Meldrews wife

You mentioned that Both Barclays and the solicitors have advised you that you do not 'need' the deeds in order to sell the property.

I am not a solicitor but do have a little experince with this.

Last year I had an offer accepted on a property I wished to purchase. When the matter went to solicitors it stalled as there were no title deeds.

My solicitor could not proceed and a sale could not occur until title deeds turned up. This obviusly differs from what your solicitor told you.

Vendor and vendor solicitor searched everywhere but to no avail. In the end, new title deeds needed to be prepared. This my solicitor informed me that this would take 3-5 months.

I pulled out of the sale as the market turned for the worst during this time.

You might not want to sell right now but I would ensure that replacement documents are prepared now.

Get to the bottom of this and charge the last person to have the deeds for the cost of replacement.

New deeds will probably cost £600.

What a hassle!

It seems likely that this may have been an unregistered title which would indeed be more complex.

ginandtonic1988

£600........................Blimey, I only charged a client £50+vat for replacements deeds last week!

ginandtonic1988

ginandtonic1988 wrote: »

£600........................Blimey, I only charged a client £50+vat for replacements deeds last week![New deeds will probably cost £600. /quote]

IHS88

Ginandtonic


You're far too cheap!!!

Meldrews_wife

Hmmmmmmm, just as I suspected. Thanks for the info.

nobblyned

Your solicitor is correct.

Title deeds are now held electronically at the Land Registry and paper deeds are not needed for any future sale.

Meldrews_wife

Catti wrote: »

Sometimes there are very few 'deeds' available. For a registered title, the actual documents are retained electronically at the Land Registry, and it is only other documents like old searches, planning permissions, copy deeds, that may be sent to the buyer. Whilst these are useful to have when selling, they are not essential to ownership and it is probably this that your bank and solicitors are saying to you.

I have small holiday home, and the deeds list every change of ownership since the original farmland was built upon. My house is 100+ years old, and it would be interesting to see the full deeds. Apart from that, doesn't anyone have a sense of responsibility any more for careful protection of other people's property? (Idon't belieeeeeeve it!):mad: