What Are Title Deeds?
Title deeds are the document that show the chain of ownership for the property or land. Since 2003, title deeds have moved to the online world and are held only by The Land Registry. Initially, the title deeds included; conveyances, wills, contracts for sale, mortgages, and leases. Once a piece of land or property has been registered with The Land Registry for the first time, the documents are then used to create a registered title and a paper certificate which was issued to the new owner. However, now with digitisation of documents, no new land or homeowner receives a physical paper certificate.
The Uses of Title Deeds
Title deeds are important document(s) for purchasing a property and the transfer of title deeds is one of many steps in a successful purchase. People may also refer to the title deed when seeking planning permission for certain projects.
Where the Title Deeds Stored?
Electronic copies of the title deeds are kept with The Land Registry. These deeds are in a digital format and The Land Registry rarely has the original copies. In fact, the original deeds are typically stored with a conveyancer or solicitor who actioned the last sale on the property.
There is a nominal fee charged in case someone wants to see the digital title deed held by The Land Registry. The title deeds which one requests to see include Title Registers and Title Plans in case you opt to purchase copies of both. One can also request for any lease information or any other detail for finding a property within the Land Registry when the person is not 100% sure of the address.
In case you are not able to find your title deed within the Land Registry, the first step is to contact the solicitor who previously dealt with your property purchase, they may have the original documents. Once you have tracked down the title deed, it’s best to get it registered with the Land Registry so that it can be held as a digital copy for future reference. In case the solicitor or conveyancer does not have the title deed or they’ve lost it then registering the property may get a little difficult but not impossible.
How Do I Register Property in Case of a Lost Deed?
Missing deeds can happen in cases of property inheritance, where the previous owner has passed away. In such cases, a person has to provide evidence to Land Registry of why the title deed has been lost and try to reconstruct the deed by including any history of previous owners. Apart from that, the person will have to provide appropriate identification and evidence of being associated with the property.
