Solicitor problems

Realme

We changed solicitors four years ago and the original solicitor has the deeds to the land of which I am the beneficiary of my uncle's will. Our new solicitor says that he has asked for them to be passed on to him but this has been continuing for about two months now. I rang them myself but they refused to deal with me saying that it was between the solicitors. Can I obtain copies of the missing deeds from the Land Registry? Please can someone advise me on this. Many thanks. Very worried!

Land_Registry

If the property is registered, you can apply to us for copies of the register, title plan and any copies of deeds that we hold. But it is highly unlikely that we will have copies of all of the deeds, and possible that we may have none of them. The reason for this is we normally only see the title deeds when a property is registered for the first time, and we then extract the information that we need from them to put onto the register. Sometimes it is necessary for us to retain copies of some deeds, but it is not unusual for this to be unnecessary. In any case, we always return the deeds to the applicants - usually the lawyers acting for the owner - when the registration has been completed. Here is a link to some guidance on our website about the information that can be obtained from us: http://www.landregistry.gov.uk/public/faqs/where-are-my-deeds-kept

loubel

Realme wrote: »

We changed solicitors four years ago and the original solicitor has the deeds to the land of which I am the beneficiary of my uncle's will. Our new solicitor says that he has asked for them to be passed on to him but this has been continuing for about two months now. I rang them myself but they refused to deal with me saying that it was between the solicitors.

Were the original solicitors acting for your (presumably deceased) uncle? If so, they can only release the deeds to your uncle's Executors. Are you his Executor?

Realme

Thanks for the information regarding the Land Registry website. Yes the original solicitor was acting for my uncle and I am one of the executors so why will they only deal with my new solicitor?

loubel

I imagine it's because they want an undertaking from your solicitor before they release the deeds. Or they might not want to release them until probate has been granted. Have they responded to your solicitor at all?

Realme

Yes they have but they are saying that they can't trace them at present but we know that they still have them but seem unwilling to pass them on maybe because its sour grapes that we changed solicitors. No the deeds have not been registered with the Land Registry as they are old deeds coming down through the family and both of my sisters are contesting the will although I was the one working with my uncle and farming the land as a partnership although that was never registered either. Help!

Realme

Thanks for your advice. I have now written to the previous solicitor following guidelines from the ombudsman which means that if the deeds are not passed to my new solicitor within 8 weeks the ombudsman will intervene.