Does my solicitor hold the deeds to my house?

Original title deeds are usually stored with a solicitor or conveyancer who acted on the last sale of the property. Alternatively, you may find they have been retained by your mortgage provider if you have a mortgage on the property.

Who holds the title deeds to your property?

The title deeds to a property with a mortgage are usually kept by the mortgage lender. They will only be given to you once the mortgage has been paid in full. But, you can request copies of the deeds at any time.

What happens if I can’t find my title deeds?

It is possible to carry out a search at the Land Registry, to locate your property and title number. An Official Copy of the register is the equivalent of a ‘title deed’ and so it will not matter if you lose this, a further copy can always be obtained from Land Registry, again for a small fee.

Can you sell a property without the deeds?

In short, yes you can sell your house without the deeds, however you must be able to prove through other means that you are the owner of the property. As the deeds are the assortment of documents which usually prove ownership, proving it without them can be a more protracted process, but it is by no means impossible.

Where should house deeds be kept?

You can also store your title deeds in a safe deposit box at your bank or building society. This is a very secure option, but you will usually have to pay an ongoing charge for hiring a deposit box and possibly pay a fee every time you want to view the deeds.

Do I need a solicitor to transfer ownership of a property?

Transferring ownership (equity) in a property is a legal process. This process is normally completed by a conveyancing solicitor. Transferring equity is usually a quick and inexpensive process. The process can sometimes be more involved, especially when there is a mortgage on the property.

What happens if you lose your house deeds?

If the deeds went missing or were destroyed while in the custody of a law firm or financial institution then, if satisfied with the evidence, the Land Registry will register the property with an absolute title. If not, then it is usually the case that the property will be registered with a possessory title.

What happens if I lose the deeds to my house?

You may apply for first registration of land if the title deeds have been lost or destroyed. It is often more important to prove who held the deeds prior to their loss or destruction than to establish what they contained.