Can I Sell My House Without Title Deeds?

If you’re thinking about selling your home, you may have been advised to ensure your title deeds are in order. But what exactly does this mean? And is it possible to sell a house without title deeds? In this blog, we’ll address common questions about title deeds, their purpose, and what to do if you can’t locate them, including how to ensure your property is properly registered so you can sell your home without a hitch.

What are title deeds?

Title deeds are physical documents that outline the history of ownership for a property or piece of land. They often include details such as:

• Boundaries of the property
• Mortgages or loans associated with the property
• Wills or inheritance details
• The duration of any leases
• Agreements and restrictions related to the property

You may be wondering, can I sell my house without title deeds? The answer is yes, but you will need to provide proof of ownership to sell your home. Each time a property is bought or sold, the title deeds are updated to reflect the new owner. When the property is registered with the Land Registry, the original documents are scanned, and copies are returned either to you or your conveyancer.

If there is a mortgage on the property, your conveyancer will send the original or copies of the title deeds to your mortgage provider, who will return them to you once the mortgage is paid off, or directly to you if there is no mortgage.

Do you need the original documents?

No, there is no requirement for the person selling the property to pass on the original title deeds when they sell. The property simply needs to be registered with the Land Registry. During the conveyancing process, your solicitor will contact the Land Registry to obtain a copy of the deeds and begin the process of updating them to reflect the new ownership.

My home isn’t registered, what can I do?

Registration of properties became mandatory in England and Wales in 1990, meaning that most title deeds are now recorded with the Land Registry. However, around 14% of freehold properties are still not registered, often due to long-term ownership. 

You might find yourself in this situation if you’ve inherited the property from an elderly relative and don’t know where the title deeds are. If you’re selling a home that isn’t registered and can’t find the original title deeds, it’s still possible to locate them.

Where can I find my title deeds?

If you need to find your title deeds as you prepare to sell your house, start by checking your home for any places where you might have stored them. If you can’t find them, the next step is to contact your mortgage lender (if you had a mortgage on the property) or the solicitor who represented you when you bought the house. There’s a good chance that either the mortgage lender or the solicitor will have kept copies of the deeds from when they managed the purchase or sale of the property. If you’re looking for the title deeds of an inherited property and know the details of the mortgage provider or solicitor that dealt with the previous purchase, they will be able to help. 

HM Land Registry maintains digital copies of most title deeds, though they typically return the original paper records to the person or entity that submitted them, such as a conveyancer or solicitor, after scanning.

In some cases, it may be impossible to find the title deeds. They could have been lost or destroyed in a fire, or the chain of ownership might have become too long or complicated. Luckily, there are alternative ways to prove ownership of a property in order to sell.

Statement of truth (form ST3)

You can complete a first registration of the property by proving your ownership through a statement of truth. This involves filling out an ST3 form and providing supporting evidence. Since this is a rare situation, it’s advisable to consult with a conveyancing expert who has experience in handling such cases.

The statement of truth requires you to build a case to demonstrate to the Land Registry that you are the rightful owner of the property. To support your claim, you can provide several types of evidence:

• Clearly identify the property you wish to register and provide a detailed description
• Explain where the deeds were when they were lost or how they were destroyed
• Specify who owned the property when the deeds were lost
• Clarify why the deeds were held in a particular location (for example, by a mortgage provider)
• Provide proof that there was a mortgage on the property when the deeds were lost
• Detail the steps you’ve taken to try to locate the deeds

If the deeds were lost while in the possession of a mortgage provider or solicitor, they should assist in confirming ownership. Regardless of the situation, evidence such as mortgage payment records, bank statements, utility bills, and other relevant documents will be useful. The more information you can provide, the stronger your case will be.

Selling your home

The good news is that if you are the rightful owner, there is likely enough evidence to prove it to the Land Registry. While there may be additional conveyancing costs involved, the exact amount will depend on the complexity of your case. Inherited properties, for example, often require more investigation during the conveyancing process, as you may not be familiar with the property’s documentation or history. We understand these challenges and have experience in handling complex home-selling situations.

If you’ve inherited a home and need to sell it quickly, SellHouseFast.uk is the perfect solution. Our personalised approach and commitment to transparency means you can trust us to handle everything with the utmost professionalism and care. When you’re looking to sell your home, a cash sale can be a total game-changer. It offers immediate funds and avoids the frustration and hassle of a traditional sale. We buy any house, any condition — get in touch and receive your free cash offer today.