Mortgage paid off, no deeds

willp2003

Hi,

Wasn't sure where to post this, but just looking for a bit of advise. I've been fortunate enough to pay off my mortgage in full, and I was under the impression that I would get the paper copy of my deeds. My mortgage provider say they don't have these, so who would have them? I know the land registry should have an electronic copy, but should I be worried I don't have the paper ones?

Thanks

-taff

Tried your solicitor? Although they're usually electronic now....

G_M

who did the conveyancing when you bought?

or download a copy for £3 here

TBagpuss

No. If the property is registered, then the records at the land registry supercede any older, paper deeds.

If you are sure that you had them when you bought the house then asking the solicitors who dealt with the purchase might result in you finding them, but you may never have had them.

ReadingTim

As others have mentioned, the records are all electronic now, so you won't necessarily have any paper documents, and even if you do, they're only of historical interest and don't mean anything. Copies of the latest register extract for that title number can be downloaded (for a fee) from the LR website.

You can also sign up to e-mail alerts for any changes to a title number, which is what I did with my place - that way I knew it took Nationwide over a month (and 2 chasers) from me paying off my mortgage to them removing their charge over the property, a process which was supposed to take them 5 working days.

I'd recommend anyone signs up - details here

jamels2

I've got some documents relating to the purchase of my leasehold flat and wondered if I really need to keep any if they are now electronic?

They include the lease , local searches, I think I was sent them by northern rock when I left them. However the new mortgage company hasnt asked for them so I have them lying around?

HouseBuyer77

The lease is not stored electronically (well it might be but certainly not by the land registry on a easily searchable database like the title deeds) so you should definitely hold on to that.

Local searches go out of date but you might want the information to refer to at a later date.

Personally I've just got all of the paperwork associated with my purchase sitting in a big bundle in a filing cabinet. It's not a problem to leave it there and even though I doubt I'd ever need most of it it's there just in case. When I move house I'll bin most of it I suspect.

Pitchshifter

Ah, I was wondering what to do with my bundle of deeds paperwork when selling my house. So they're just my copy for reference and any potential buyer's solicitor won't be asking me to fish them out of the carrier bag they're currently stashed in, right?
Hope not cos I wouldn't mind keeping a reminder of this house.

G_M

Watch out!

There often are other documents which the Land registery may or may not have scanned and stored electronically.

Often there are old conveyances with covenants within them which still apply to the property.

* in most cases, reference to these documents is made in the electronic Title at the LR
* In many cases, the LR has scanned and stored these documents electronically
* but sometimes the LR does not have them and the document itself may be critical.

It can be a real issue if the LR Title says eg that "by a conveyance dated 1st April 1924 the owner of (the neighbouring) property has a right of access".

If the 1924 document has gone missing, it can scupper a sale.......

G_M

See this thread for an example......

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5442959

TeaLeaf

Don't assume that everything is stored electronically.

Don't assume that even if it is now, it will be still be there in years to come. Files can be corrupted, deleted, re-named by mistake etc.

If you don't want to keep physical copies of the deeds, see if the local archive will take them. They get a surprising amount of use.