Title Deeds - where are they?

We have our title deeds, but they are merely of archive interest as the house has been registered with the Land Registry, probably since shortly afte the system was introduced in 1925, Prior to that it was held on a feudal tenancy/ownership agreement known as 'Copyhold'

We have a copy of our deeds but our solicitor holds the original deeds, along with our wills.

Our title deeds were returned to us when we paid off our mortgage. We are in Scotland.

I have spent the best part of a year searching for my title deeds.
I knew that they existed as I had seen them years ago when it had been important to find how much land we were responsible for and what rights we have . For example there is an ancient water well which we were allowed to use but had to pay the church of Scotland the sum of half a guinea each half year.

When DH died, I began to collect together important documents incase I need to sell the house.

Eventually I gave up searching the house and my lawyer applied to the Sassines (the Scottish equivalent of the English Land Registry)
I was sent photocopies at £5 per page.

Lenders haven’t kept title deeds for years. If you bought your property in 2001 the title will be registered at the Land Registry and doubtless your solicitor has already downloaded the title documents from the LR. Original title deeds sometimes survive but what’s relevant is not the old deeds but the registered title. Old deeds are only of historic interest.

You’re paying your solicitor to help you fill these forms in!

You can access the Land Registry through gov.uk. Most modern properties have an entry there rather than paper 'deeds'. Some people have kept their paper deeds on old properties because of the historical interest.
If I remember rightly, registration became compulsory in about 1968. So you still come across properties that have never been registered, which is why 'deeds' may be asked for.

I believe there is no need for title deeds nowadays in England as all info is with Land Registry. Im pleased though that we have all papers from 1935.

Generally houses do not have deeds these days, those that have them, they are interesting but, I think, no longer legal.

Registering properties with the land registry came in 1925, but has only been compulsory since 1980, although most properties were registered when it was voluntary. Now that registering with the Land Registry is compulsory All properties now have all legal transactions, including buying selling, charges on the property (eg a mortgage) registered at the Land Registery.

The one exception would be if your home hadn't changed hands since 1980. There is a small chance that it might not yet be registered, in which case you might need your deeds.

bytheway Just speak to the solicitor you are using for the sale of your property and he will have all the relevant legal information about your house at his finger tips, so nothing to worry about.

I would think they are with whoever you pay your mortgage to. If your mortgage is paid off then they maybe held digitally at the Land Registry.

If you had a mortgage, the lender may be keeping them safe for you. Nationwide did this for us, if I recall correctly £1 was left outstanding in order to do so. Other mortgage lenders return the deeds to you, others may notify you that the deeds are being held digitally.

We got our deeds when the mortgage was paid off, but it’s easy to apply to Land Registry for another set - costs about £15.

Building society usually holds them until mortgage paid off them it’s your choice for them to keep or you to keep,