Title deeds suggest vendors aren't the owners?

GreatBigBookcase

Was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on this...

I've had an offer accepted on a house and have instructed solicitors to do the conveyancing, surveyor's been round today, etc. Meanwhile, I've looked at the title deeds on the Land Registry website, just out of interest, and the registered owners according to that document are not the vendors.

From what I know (from the vendor who showed me round the property on my two viewings), the vendors are four siblings selling the property after their parents passed away a year or so ago. But the name on the title deeds isn't any of the siblings' names.

Obviously the solicitor will flag up any problems should there actually be any, but I'm just curious about this situation so thought I'd ask here. Should I be worried?!!

jaybeetoo

If the property owners are deceased, your solicitor will need to establish who the executors are and deal with them.

TDPIX

You say the name's aren't the siblings'. Are they the parent's names? Or something completely different?

G_M

When someone dies, there is no requirement for the Executers, or Benficiaries of the will, to transfer the property Title into their nam(s) before selling.

If the deceased property is to be sold, it can be done by the Executers, or the Beneficiaries after they inherit.

Naturally they must prove to the satisfaction first of your solicior, and then to the Land regisyry, that they have the authority to sell the deceased's property, but this is a perfectly normal procedure.

JQ.

My wife, her father and her mother all have different surnames, and always have done.

My wife's official UK maiden name, the name in her passport and her now official UK married name are all different.

Certainly made getting our first mortgage together quite interesting.

GreatBigBookcase

Thanks everyone for the replies. I should have mentioned that I know someone who knows the vendors, so I know that the name on the deeds is definitely not one of the four siblings or the deceased parents. Also, the dates don't match up as I know the family have been in that house for 60+ years.

That said, I think I've figured out my confusion...I reckon I've made a rookie error...could it be that I'm looking at the name of the freeholder (it's a terraced house, but leasehold, vendor tells me they pay something like 7 pounds a year) rather than the house owner? Eejit that I am.

Could it be that I'm looking at the land rather than the actual house? Are there separate documents for each?

I do apologise for my obvious complete lack of knowledge here and probably silly sounding questions. Good job I'm not doing my own conveyancing, eh?!

Land_Registry

From what you have posted it seems the most likely explanation.

If you used the postal address to search online then it should reveal what information is available before you view.

The list will include an indicator as to the tenure i.e. freehold or leasehold to enable you to select the one you require

As G_M and jaybeetoo mention if the owners are deceased then it will be the executors who should be selling and something they will deal with through the seller's solicitor.

Checking what is registered is also part of the conveyancing process and doubtless your solicitor will supply you with a copy of the title as well - no harm in checking for yourself but this is not an uncommon situation so at this stage I would not be unduly worried but your solicitor should be able to reassure you.

GreatBigBookcase

Thanks so much for that LRR. Can't remember having the option to choose the tenure (but I'm over 8 months pregnant so might just be a case of baby brain...!) but yes, it seems I've simply looked at the wrong thing.

Will see what the conveyancers come back with, but am sure all is fine.

Thanks everyone.