What to do with deeds?

Fruittea

Hi everyone I'll soon be paying off my mortgage and wondered what happens to the deeds. Do they come back to me and if so what should I do with them?


Many thanks for your thoughts.

TBagpuss

there may not be any deeds. Most properties these days are registered so the records are held at the land registry, not in deed form.

If there are deeds, then yes, they should be returned to you. If the property is not registered you could chose to register it (in which case you will need to send some, at least, of the deeds to the land registry but won't need to keep them after that)
If it is not registered and you don't want to register it then you need to ensure that the deeds are stored securely as they are, in those circumstances, the evidence that you own the property.

Even if the property is registered, you may get some documents back - these can be quite interesting, and you may find it handy to get office copies form the land registry and see whether there is anything which is more detailed in the documents you have - measurements / boundaries etc, in which case it is worth keeping the documents for reference.

depending on the age of the property, older deeds can be quite attractive and may be of interest to local museums of local history societies if you don't want them yourself (obviously don't give them, away until your property is registered!)

Fruittea

Many thanks TBagpus. My property is very old around 1700 so I'm looking forward to seeing them - if any exist. Thank you for your very helpful reply.

StuC75

The land registry hold the information electronically as to confirm ownership. but it will not hold the full details of what will be in the deeds, specifically anything relating to any restrictive covenants on the property (Although mention of such conditions may be on the electronic registry). Therefore its good to keep the deeds safe for such time that you come to sell the house...

Mojisola

StuC75 wrote: »

Therefore its good to keep the deeds safe for such time that you come to sell the house...

Fruittea wrote: »

My property is very old around 1700 so I'm looking forward to seeing them - if any exist.

The paper deeds won't be necessary for the sale of the house if it's registered at the LA but, as historical documents, they are priceless.

cloo

I was sent mine by registered post once I paid of my mortgage. I keep them in a safe at my parents' house as I don't have one myself. My house was only 100 years old, but the deeds were interesting nonetheless, so hopefully the OP's will be fascinating!

Fruittea

Thanks for all the information and comments - really looking forward to seeing them and to being mortgage free. I'll post again with anything interesting - my house used to be a cider and coal shop! So you never know - they might reveal some interesting facts.

00ec25

as stated the paperwork does not prove your ownership, that is now the definitive Land Registry's electronic record

but the paperwork may contain all sorts of other things which will not be on the electronic record but could still be highly relevant when you come to sell and so you should keep the paper "safely" - personally mine are in a "fireproof" box

as others have said the paperwork is historically priceless given the age of your property so really worth preserving for that alone

StuC75

They will be necessary if there is a restrictive covenant in place (which the Land Registry will comment as being in the deeds), but the solicitors will only know from seeing the actual documents what those full details are - I know as have been there before with a property purchase..... Granted on such a property the likelihood that the owner of such a beneficial interest would still be around to act upon is low , but it is a useful comment for others with more recent purchases..

Mojisola wrote: »

The paper deeds won't be necessary for the sale of the house if it's registered at the LA but, as historical documents, they are priceless.

G_M

On an old house there will probobly be historic deeds going back years, with historic interest. Worth keeping.

There may also be all sorts of other documnts, conveyances, which still have legal significance.

This is over and above the electronic Land Registry entries.

Keep them.

Mine are in a fire-proof safe at home. Many people just put them in a drawer. Some people pay a solicitor/bank a small amount for a safe storage.

An alternative which many Building Societies (and some banks) offer, is to keep your mortgage account live, with you owing a token £1.00, and they retain the documents for safe-keeping.

Annie1960

Mine are with solicitors, who are happy to look after them for free, because they expect me to use their services when I sell. They will keep them in a safe place, hopefully safer than I could keep them at home.