Title deeds

mrsc_4

Our outstanding enquiries with Vendors solicitor can't be answered until he has the title deeds. Now we've been told different things by 2 EA's.

The first agent (who is dealing with the sale of this property) said the title deeds are held by the vendors mortgage provider (this what also what we believed)

Our agent (dealing with the sale of our property) said these are now held by the local council on microfilm.

Who's right?? We've been misled by too many people in purchasing this property.

Thanks

Snaggles

If the property is freehold and registered, the deeds may well have been 'dematerialised' - ie the deeds themselves destroyed, and now just held electronically by the district land registry (not the local council). This should be something your solicitor/conveyancer deals with though. The actual deeds themselves are no longer needed, although are often kept out of historical interest or because other documents (guarantees etc) are held with them.

I would take anything the estate agent says with a pinch of salt - their interest is in getting the sale to go through so they can get their commission. They don't have any involvement in the technical/legal side of the sale.

Doozergirl

Both are kind of right, but I think it's the Land Registry that hold electronic copies now, not the council. It's likely that your vendor will hold the deeds if they have no mortgages.

I think solicitors will contact the Land Registry if the originals aren't available. That said, we've managed a two remortgages and a house sale without being asked for the deeds this year so our solicitor must be going to the land registry