Title Deeds: Who Keeps Them?

Title deeds are legal documents that show who officially owns and holds title to a property or land. Titles deeds are sometimes known as land certificates and need to be officially registered with the HM Land Registry.

Why Title Deeds are Needed?

Title deeds are used as an official record of who owns the title to a property. For example, if a buyer is interested in purchasing a property then a solicitor will check the title deeds in order to make sure that the seller is entitled to sell the property. The title deeds may also have details on whether there are mortgages on the property, and whether anyone else has an interest in the property. The title deeds are also useful in gaining information on property boundaries and rights of way through a property.

Who Keeps Title Deeds?

Where the title deeds are kept is mainly dependant on whether there is a mortgage on the property or not. If there is a mortgage then the deeds will be kept by the mortgage lender. The deeds will only be returned to the owner once the mortgage on the property has been fully paid although photocopies of the deeds can be requested at any time. If no mortgage is held on a property then the title deeds will be kept by the owner. They can either be kept in the home or they can be held by a solicitor.

Property Burdens

Included in the title deeds will be a list of burdens, or obligations to the property that need to be met. These burdens can cover a wide range but they will usually include:

• Repairs and maintenance to the property.
• Access and rights of way for the property.
• Restriction on using the property to run a business.
• Information on restrictions on altering the property.
• Whether or not the owner holds right to any roads that cross the property.

There are a number of burdens that will of course be dependant on the type of property or land. A solicitor will be able to advise if any of the language used in the title deeds is confusing or not clearly understandable.

Joint Ownership

An important part of the title deeds will be joint ownership. If the property is owned by more than one person then this will need to be included in the details. It should also set out exactly how much of the property is owned by each person, and there should be details on what will happen if the other person were to die; these details are known as survivorship details.

Survivorship Details

If there is a joint ownership on the property then having a survivorship clause is important. If the co-owner were to die then a survivorship clause will guarantee that the deceased person’s shares will go to the joint owner. If there is no survivorship clause and the property was not bought with a co-owner then details of property rights should be set down in a will. If no details are set down in a will then a legal decision will need to be made over the ownership rights.

Changing the Title Deeds

There are a number of reasons why an owner may want to change the title on property deeds. These could include if a co-owner sells or transfers their rights in the property, or if the owner wishes to sell their rights to the property. A solicitor will be needed if the title deeds are being changed, and there will be a fee for this service. If there is a mortgage on the property and if there are co-owners then the lenders or co-owners will need to agree to the changes.

Legally Binding Covenants

Covenants are legally binding rules that are set within the deeds and must be followed by the property owners. The covenants can be positive or negative. For example they may state that a property cannot be used for business purposes, that window frames on a property cannot be changed or can include agreements on property boundaries. If these covenants are broken, which does happen frequently, the property owners can be held legally liable. However, it may be that the original covenantor has long since moved on or is untraceable and so the new owners might not be held liable if breaking a covenant.

Breaching Deed Covenants

Who is liable when breaching covenants can be complicated. For example, a government or council official may make a ruling that a certain area is to become environmentally friendly and all houses must comply by changing the windows to energy efficient windows. However, if the deeds include a lifetime covenant that the windows cannot be changed then this would be a breach if the windows were altered. In this case the current property owners could be penalised for breaching the covenant. Liability over breaches of covenant can be a minefield and legal advice should always be sought if owners are considering breaking a covenant.

Title deeds are extremely important documents used as evidence of proof of ownership. Solicitors can be used when investigating the rights of ownership, but searches may also be made by the person who wishes to buy or find out who owns a property. If property is being considered for purchase then a check of the title deeds is always standard procedure and the sale should not go ahead without this information.