Deads

markgparker

Hi, I have been sent my deads for my house that was built 1973. Barclays will charge £40 a year to look after them and £10 every time I want them out. Should I secure them in a bank or just keep them at home?

BobQ

Go on the land registry website and see if your property is registered. It will cost a few pounds for the title deed and a few more for the plan.

If it is not registered, the deeds are the only proof of your title (ie that you own it). You can register the deeds for a one off fee with the Land Registry by completing a form and sending it to Land Registry (use a signed for postal service and keep a copy).

Once registered, the paper deeds can be left where you keep other personal papers. since they will have no value or significance. The only reason for keeping them would be if there were any unusual aspects to the title.

Make sure you use the .gov.uk site. Searching for Land Registry on Google etc produces companies that charge you for doing what you can do yourself.

http://www.landregistry.gov.uk/public/property-ownership

Johnhowell

Markgparker,


Depends how long you have been the owner of this property will depend whether it will be registered or not. If not, you can register it, not much and I suspect you do not need a solicitor to do it. May be the Land Registry Representative will be along soon to tell you which form to use. I personally would request the original deeds back from the process, or only send a copy of it to HMLR... because:


Land Registry will only transcribe over the elements of the Deeds that they require - NOT all of the clauses and plan details.


Do a search on the number of questions about "which fence is mine?", etc. that turn up here, or the Garden Law website, to see how important the Deeds you have are. Land Registry do not record the "T" or "H" marks for boundary feature responsibility.


Also, the Title Plan will be based on the latest Ordnance Survey base map, whereas your plan may show more historical, relevant information.


I implore you that the original deeds DO have value and significance as a responsible land owner. Once destroyed, the original deeds can not be recreated.


Good luck,
John

Land_Registry

The deeds remain important whether the property is registered or not for the reasons already mentioned.

Although registration will invariably mean you don't need the original deeds to prove ownership they can sometimes be useful as an historical record for example.

Where is 'safe' has no certain answer so the choice is really yours as to where you store them.

Have you now checked to see if the property is registered? The age of the building won't be relevant to registration but when you bought it and where it is will be.

If it is unregistered then our online guidance will help re the advantages of having it registered and also how to apply.