Trouble retrieving house deeds

kindlefirebabe

We paid off our mortgage 10 years ago. Building Society gave us our deeds which I deposited with a solicitor for safe keeping. I have only just discovered that the solicitors that I deposited the deeds with have closed and business has been wound down.

I have been give the name of a person who was responsible for sorting out all of the loose ends of the business. He is not contactable. I have asked the Solicitors Regulation Authority to forward a letter on to him requesting our deeds.

Am I panicking about nothing? We are in possession of an official copy of the Land Registry entry which shows "Title Absolute" in mine and my husbands name.

My question is, if the worst were to happen and we are not successful in retrieving the deeds from the solicitor, will we be disadvantaged in any way given that the Land Registry have us named on their records as having Title Absolute?

clarky_cat

I don't have the deeds to my house either and am looking at moving soon. Hopefully the below will put your mind at rest.

http://blog.landregistry.gov.uk/title-deeds/

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2007/sep/26/expertsproperty.property1

AdrianC

If the property's registered, then your deeds are just something nice to hang on the wall. It's a shame that they've got misplaced, yes, but it doesn't affect your ownership of the property in the slightest.

Land_Registry

From an ownership perspective there should not be an issue if the property is registered. The old deeds can be useful for other reasons as suggested but may also shed some light on boundary issues if they should ever arise. They should always be hung on to and kept safe but where is 'safe' will always vary.

When a legal firm is wound up another firm is normally appointed to take care of their files etc - is this the same as the named person you have been given the details of but are unable to contact? If it is was he/she or their firm also wound up in some way?

kindlefirebabe

Thank you for all of the replies. You have all put my mind at rest although it would be nice to get the deeds back as they had some interesting history in them.

Land_Registry_representative wrote: »

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When a legal firm is wound up another firm is normally appointed to take care of their files etc - is this the same as the named person you have been given the details of but are unable to contact? If it is was he/she or their firm also wound up in some way?

The appointed person was a former partner in the firm. He used a desk at another law firm but they no longer have any contact with him and had no link to him. I am hoping that the letter I have forwarded to the SRA is passed on to him so that I can get a message to him.

TBagpuss

if you have his name, check http://solicitors.lawsociety.org.uk/ - put in his name and it should tell you his current (professional) address and contact details, assuming of course that he is still working.

If he has retired it will be more difficult but the Law Society or SRA may be able to check who where he last worked.

kindlefirebabe

Thank you TBagpuss. I have searched but no person coming up on the search. However SRA do have a trace of this person and I am hoping that they will forward my letter to him.