lost title deeds

pink_muppet

We are in the process of selling our house, we've got a letter from the solicitor today saying that Nationwide (who we have our current mortgage with) have told him they do not have the title deeds to our house and that there were probably handed to us on completion of the mortgage 2 years ago

We have never had our deeds and now don't know where they are!!!, our solicitor has said that there is no problem with title as he has that from the land registry and the deeds will not prevent the sale from going through, but I am concerned this is going to drag the sale process out

I have told my solicitor it was solicitors instructed by the Nationwide who handled the case 2 years ago (as it was a remortgage) but I can't remember who they were

can anyone offer any advice? we are wanting to complete on March 14th

dolce_vita

this should not hold up the sale because the land registry will have electronic copies of the deeds.

Richard_Webster

If the proeprty is freehold and you only bought/remortgaged it 2 years ago it will have a registered title and your solicitors can get the most important documents by downloading them from the Land Registry at a very small cost.

Your solicitors will know that, but may be wanting to see if there are other documents like planning permissions and tree preservation orders etc etc which a buyer's solicitors might want to see. If the property is leasehold then they will need the lease and either you will have this or the solicitors who dealt with the remortgage. You will simply have to push Nationwide to tell you who these solicitors were and contact them.

Your solicitors can even get a copy of a registered lease form the Land Registry for £20 and copy planning permissions can be obtained from the Council, but there will be a cost, so getting hold of the deeds packets with these various documents in will save you this kind of extra cost but if it can't be found then usually it isn't a disaster and your sale should not be held up.

kingkano

It was no problem for us in November when we completed on our flat. (C&G had sent our deeds out somewhere and didnt know where, they had sent us the deeds to someone else's flat in camden... they were completely unapologetic except that they paid the fee to obtain a new copy).

pink_muppet

You guys are great! thanks, it is a freehold property btw