Deeds to Property

[Im a BusyBee]

Not sure where i should put this question but what i need to know is where the deeds to our property should be kept for safe keeping once our mortgage is finished? I am not impressed with the solicitors we have used for years or i would ask them to keep them. So where do you keep yours?

[rowanwitch]

bank safe deposit ?

[woofgang]

Assuming you are in the UK, 99% of the time they are useless bits of paper. Your property should be registered with the land registry website and if there is any dispute then 99% of the time their record will be the legal one. The other 1%'s are houses that have not been sold for yonks and land registry records that have an error.

http://www.landregistry.gov.uk/

[crystalbee27]

Not sure you actually need the paper deeds now - isn't everything on disk at the land Registry? We have our paper deeds which go back to 1890 but they are not necessary to prove ownership as copies are kept by the Land Registry.

[Im a BusyBee]

this is very interesting - glad i asked the question now! our property shows 'no information available'?? What do i need to do now or rather what does that mean?

[Im a BusyBee]

i guess that would be because we have owned it for 30 years?

[woofgang]

Its sounds like its not been registered...I agree their site is perhaps not the most user friendly if you aren't sure what to do. On the phone, they are very helpful, I suggest that you give them a call.

[woofgang]

yes, if it hasn't been sold for 30 years it may well not be on the register.

[Old_Geezer]

Anywhere safe, perferably not in the building they relate to in case it burns down or something. You can use a bank maybe. I think the computerised records at the Land Registry count for more these days.

[Old_Geezer]

That'll learn me to have the screen at 150% zoom. Didn't see earlier answers :-D

[woofgang]

her's the info.

[woofgang]

link!
http://www1.landregis...oluntary-registration

[Im a BusyBee]

thanks so much, i have learnt something today! i shall be giving them a call and getting registered........i assume until i have registered the property the deeds are important?

[woofgang]

yes, very.

[buildersmate]

Registering your land at the LR is not free, but it doesn't cost much. The LR uses the information provided by your deeds document to record the area of land that you own and details of your proprietorship. They hold the deeds on record, but issue a land registration certificate.
Since about 2001 it has been compulsory to register a piece of land before it can be transferred to anyone else (sold) - so you have to go through this process eventually anyway, sooner or later.

[boxtops]

I've just been to my solicitor and left my deeds for safekeeping with them. He said I didn't really need it because everything's electronic these days, but it's still nice have a pack of papers to lay your hands on.

If you don't like your previous solicitors, you can always just change, you don't need a reason - we did.

[woofgang]

boxy, the papers mean zilch. You can get an electronic copy off the LR, save it as a file on your computer and print off enough copies to paper your loo with.....

[Valmave]

Registering your title is most desireable should you want to sell or mortgage the property. If you own large areas of land it will also give you notice if any squatters try to claim a part of it. However do not dispose of your bundle of paper title deeds. If things go belly up and you end up in court arguing about for example a boundary line the court will base their decision on whatever the paper deeds say. The Land Registry (usually) only records the general position of a boundary. It is the title deeds that are definitive.