Land Registry Solicitors for Reconstitution of Title Deeds & First Registrations

What to do when Property Deeds have gone missing or been lost?

If you are looking to sell a property or perhaps transfer the ownership of the property but have no idea where to find the deeds, then the specialist Property Solicitors at PSR can help.

Perhaps the deeds have been lost or destroyed, or it could be you have recently realised that rightful ownership of the property is not registered with HM Land registry.

PSR Solicitors are the largest team of conveyancing solicitors and specialist property solicitors in Wales, and we have the specific expertise required to help people who need to re-register property ownership with HM Land Registry.

HM Land Registry reports that almost 15% of properties located within England and Wales are still unregistered.

Reconstitution of Property Title Deeds

Few conveyancing teams have the experience to deal with the Reconstitution of Title Deeds as they are not being dealt with on a daily basis.  It is therefore important for homeowners to use only qualified and experienced conveyancers who have the necessary knowledge of dealing with the matter in hand.

Toni Jones, our Conveyancing Manager based in our Ellesmere Port office is currently working with a number of clients where they are applying for the reconstitution of title deeds.  She explains that the whole process can be extremely complex and involves a considerable amount of time, detailed research and investigation.

The whole purpose of a Reconstitution of Title is to effect First Registration of the Legal Title.  The process is like a huge jigsaw puzzle and the conveyancer must put together all the missing pieces to provide HM Land Registry with enough evidence to show legal ownership of the property.

The person applying for registration must provide evidence to the conveyancer to show how the original title deeds were either lost or destroyed.  They must show evidence of possession by way of utility bills, bank statements, mortgage statements, personal documents, and insurance policies etc to show continued ownership of the property from the date they state that the property was purchased up to the date of the application to register.

Once the conveyancer has obtained sufficient evidence of ownership, the person making the application must complete and swear a Statement of Truth explaining how they purchased the property or came into ownership of the property, how the original title documents were lost and how they still own the property.

Once all evidence is collated, an application to the Land Registry will be made on behalf of the applicant by the appointed conveyancer and once the Land Registry has confirmed sufficient evidence has been reproduced, they will register title to the property.  

The legal costs for carrying out the Reconstitution of Title will be £1800 plus VAT and disbursements which will include HM Land Registry’s Registration Fee, which is dependent upon the value of the property).

For more details and legal advice on Reconstitution of Title, please contact us.

What is Compulsory First Registration?

You may be required to register land or property with the HM Land Registry if you are purchasing, selling, or mortgaging unregistered land or property. This includes transfer of possessions through a will, inheritance, or gift.

Other conditions that require land owners to register unregistered property or land include the start of a first legal mortgage with a higher priority than any others affecting the property at the time, and the grant or transfer of a leasehold - with more than 7 years left on the term at the time of the grant or transfer.

Our experienced Land Registry Solicitors will help you through the application process for your first land registration. You will need to produce plenty of documentation, including any possessory title if you are in possession of the deeds. The process can feel overwhelming, but our team is here to ensure a stress-free, successful Land Registry application.

PSR Solicitors can support you through the collection of evidence of possession, and the application with the HM Land Registry.

What is Voluntary First Registration?

If you are in possession of unregistered land or property, you can choose to voluntarily register it with the Land Registry, even if you are not looking to transfer or sell the property.

Voluntary Land Registry First Registration has many benefits, such as:

• Obtaining a detailed documented proof of ownership, including geographical boundaries - which can help settling any dispute over land ownership
• The assignment of a class to your property by the Land Registry
• An easier conveyancing process when selling or transferring the property
• Legal protection against property fraud
• Digital copies of the title deeds which are not subject to loss or destruction, and can be requested from the Land Registry at any time
• Discounted Voluntary First Registration fee

A Voluntary First Registration will generally take up to 12 weeks to process. However, you may need to consider possible delays because of backlogs. A delay in registration can have serious ramifications, especially if you are looking to sell or transfer the property in the near future. Our team can make sure your registration happens as quickly and smoothly as possible.

If you are unsure whether your land or property is currently registered with the HM Land Registry, contact our team of Land Registry Solicitors today.

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