Title Deeds Storage

davidwatts

I'd welcome a view on the following, in terms of whether I should be concerned at all or take any action.

I bought my home around 12 years ago and accepted the offer of the solicitors who handled the conveyancing to store the title deeds. That firm no longer exists under the same name but is clearly traceable, i.e. has merged with a larger practice and the same solicitor is still a partner.

I've just received a letter from another firm of solicitors (to my address but in the name of the owner of the property prior to the person I bought it from). It says they can no longer store the title deeds, for free at least, and invites that person to call in with ID and collect the deeds or arrange continued storage for a fee.

On the one hand, I'm confident that my purchase of the property proceeded without any issues and that my solicitors are storing the deeds for me, on the other I'm a bit concerned at another firm of solicitors apparently storing the deeds for a previous owner! Would you recommend that I:

1 - Relax, do nothing as the deeds are safely stored with my solicitors.

2 - Contact my solicitors to check that they do, indeed, have the deeds.

3 - Contact the other solicitors to inform them of the situation.

G_M

Contact the other solicitor and collect the deeds.
Check what they are.
The may be of no legal value since a) Ttles are recorded at the Land regsitry and b) you have more recent deeds stored with your own solicitor
They may be of historical interest.
Once you now what they are, either combine them with your own stored deeds or keep them a home out of interest or bin them.

Tom99

Do 2 and 3
The deeds may just be of historical interest or they could be important documents which do not form part of the Land Reg Title.

McKneff

Mine are in a brown envelope in my magazine rack in the sitting room

AdrianC

Bought 12yrs ago, 2006/7?

I can't think of a reason why it wouldn't be registered at LR. So... the deeds are historic interest only.

xylophone

OP, have you checked the Land Registry entry for your property?

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/land-registry

davidmcn

Tom99 wrote: »

Do 2 and 3
The deeds may just be of historical interest or they could be important documents which do not form part of the Land Reg Title.

They can't be that important (or at least, not unique copies of important docs) if the property has since been sold twice without them.

Solicitor may well refuse to deal with the OP given they're not their client.

davidwatts

Thanks all. The last view chimes with where my thinking has ended up. The property is registered and it's only just over 40 years old so I doubt there's going to be any great value or interest in what is held by the other solicitors. I think I'll drop a line to both of them on the basis that it can't do any harm.

davidwatts

To conclude, my sol's have confirmed that they are still storing the title deeds for me and the other firm have said I can call in with ID and collect the copy that they're storing.

Thanks again for the responses.

martindow

If there was an arrangement for the original solicitor to keep documents indefinitely, could the new solicitor be obliged to continue this as they will have taken over their assets and liabilities?

davidmcn

martindow wrote: »

If there was an arrangement for the original solicitor to keep documents indefinitely, could the new solicitor be obliged to continue this as they will have taken over their assets and liabilities?

I suspect there's always at least an implied condition that the free storage facility might end at some point. In any event, the OP isn't their client.