House not showing up on the land registry?

LegalNim

I'm interested in putting an offer in on a house. The current owner purchased it in 2016 and has lived there since. I tried to check the titles on the land registry but they have no records for that address - the address is definitely correct. It says "Sorry, we do not have a record of any titles for this property. This does not necessarily mean that the property is unregistered". The property must be registered because it was sold in 2016 - does anyone know why it's not showing up?

davidmcn

Are you only searching by the address? Properties aren't necessarily registered under the "correct" postal address. Try a map search.

LegalNim

davidmcn said:

Are you only searching by the address? Properties aren't necessarily registered under the "correct" postal address. Try a map search.

How do I do the map search? When I try, all I can do is zoom in on a map which doesn't tell me anything at all. The correct address does come up when I search for the postcode - but then it says they have no information relating to that property.

davidmcn

https://eservices.landregistry.gov.uk/eservices/FindAProperty/view/MapEnquiryInit.do

then zoom in until "Find Properties" is available and aim at the property, it should then list any registered properties within your chosen radius

LegalNim

davidmcn said:

https://eservices.landregistry.gov.uk/eservices/FindAProperty/view/MapEnquiryInit.do

then zoom in until "Find Properties" is available and aim at the property, it should then list any registered properties within your chosen radius

No, the property doesn't come up.

NinjaTune

LegalNim said:

davidmcn said:

https://eservices.landregistry.gov.uk/eservices/FindAProperty/view/MapEnquiryInit.do

then zoom in until "Find Properties" is available and aim at the property, it should then list any registered properties within your chosen radius

No, the property doesn't come up.

Did you click the 'find properties. button once zoomed right in?  It's default setting is 'off' so you need to manually change it

LegalNim

NinjaTune said:

LegalNim said:

davidmcn said:

https://eservices.landregistry.gov.uk/eservices/FindAProperty/view/MapEnquiryInit.do

then zoom in until "Find Properties" is available and aim at the property, it should then list any registered properties within your chosen radius

No, the property doesn't come up.

Did you click the 'find properties. button once zoomed right in?  It's default setting is 'off' so you need to manually change it

Yes, did that. It comes up with other properties in the vicinity but not the one I'm interested in. 

NinjaTune

Okay, well in that case I'd speak to the EA and tell them you're interested in making an offer but not until the vendor can clarify what the situation is re: registration of the property.

davidmcn

LegalNim said:

The current owner purchased it in 2016 and has lived there since.

Definitely a "purchase" in the normal sense, and not just "I've lived here since 2016"? If it was (say) inherited or gifted, that might explain why it hasn't been registered.

LegalNim

davidmcn said:

LegalNim said:

The current owner purchased it in 2016 and has lived there since.

Definitely a "purchase" in the normal sense, and not just "I've lived here since 2016"? If it was (say) inherited or gifted, that might explain why it hasn't been registered.

It was purchased at auction in 2016.

LegalNim

davidmcn said:

LegalNim said:

The current owner purchased it in 2016 and has lived there since.

Definitely a "purchase" in the normal sense, and not just "I've lived here since 2016"? If it was (say) inherited or gifted, that might explain why it hasn't been registered.

The land registry says that it doesn't necessarily mean that it hasn't been registered - do you know of what it could possibly mean?