Conflicting surnames on title deeds

incka

Hi,

I'm in process of buying a flat but it's taking forever (since September) despite no chain. The seller's solicitor seems incompetent (as in they took 3 months to answer a basic list of questions).

One of issues is the title deeds show two different surnames for the seller, but one of them is a pseudonym she doesn't have any ID for. Estate agent said it was common in the 'West Indian community' to have a different official name than one you go by. I haven't been able to verify this assertion using google. Basically the Registered Owner is correct official name (also in section B Proprietorship Register) but the section A Property Register has the pseudonym surname.

Is this something that can be sorted out given she doesn't have ID for the pseudonym name, and if so how would this be done + how long would it take a motivated solicitor to do it?

davidmcn

Does anyone think it's a problem?

G_M

Sounds like the property was bought for the purposes of money laundering.

OK - half joking, but this IS one of the the reasons for proper ID checks.

moneyistooshorttomention

I would be wondering if the "seller" is someone that is trying to steal someone else's house in the circumstances.

Getting that bargepole out - as in "not to touch it with".

AnotherJoe

incka wrote: »

Hi,

I'm in process of buying a flat but it's taking forever (since September) despite no chain. The seller's solicitor seems incompetent (as in they took 3 months to answer a basic list of questions).

One of issues is the title deeds show two different surnames for the seller, but one of them is a pseudonym she doesn't have any ID for. Estate agent said it was common in the 'West Indian community' to have a different official name than one you go by. I haven't been able to verify this assertion using google. Basically the Registered Owner is correct official name (also in section B Proprietorship Register) but the section A Property Register has the pseudonym surname.

Is this something that can be sorted out given she doesn't have ID for the pseudonym name, and if so how would this be done + how long would it take a motivated solicitor to do it?

I'm at a loss to understand how you can have an official name but no ID?at the very least I would have them rectify this at their expense before proceeding, you'd think their solicitor would have recommended that anyway, but unless it was my dream property, I'd just be walking at this point.

davidmcn

AnotherJoe wrote: »

I'm at a loss to understand how you can have an official name but no ID?

Think you've misread the OP - it's the unofficial name which lacks ID.

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

I would be wondering if the "seller" is someone that is trying to steal someone else's house in the circumstances.

They are the Registered Owner. I don't know what the relevance is of the other name being referred to in the Property Register but hopefully somebody who knows more about English land registration will be along shortly to explain.

TBagpuss

I think that she would need to get the register corrected - this may be possible by providing an affidavit or statutory declaration explaining the names. Your solicitor is best placed to advise you, having seen the documents concenred and being familiar with the local land registry and their back-logs of work, how long this is likely to take.
I think it is quite common in some cultures to be known by more than one differnt name, particularly when the naming traditions are different in your country of origin and the country you are living in (for instance, a Sikh woman might be known by the surname Singh here, if she has taken her husband's surname, but by Kaur among the Sikh community)

However, as a buyer, you want to be certian that she is in fact the person with the right to dispose of the property and to release any rights over it, so you need to be cautious.