Title deeds are the collection of legal documents that establish who owns a property and set out any rights, restrictions or obligations attached to it. In England and Wales, most properties are now registered with the Land Registry, and the official record of ownership is held digitally rather than in physical documents.
For registered properties, the key documents are the title register (which shows the owner, the property boundaries and any charges) and the title plan (a map showing the property's extent). For older, unregistered properties, physical title deeds may still exist and are needed to prove ownership.
Your conveyancer reviews the title deeds as part of the conveyancing process to check there are no issues that could affect your ownership or use of the property. If you have a mortgage, the lender may hold the title deeds (or a charge is noted on the digital register) until the mortgage is repaid.
Your conveyancer reviews the title deeds for the property you are buying and discovers a restrictive covenant preventing commercial use. This is not a problem for you as you plan to use it as a family home, so the purchase proceeds.
Key Points
- Prove ownership of a property
- Most properties in England and Wales are now registered digitally with the Land Registry
- Include information about charges, covenants and restrictions
- Reviewed by your conveyancer during the buying process
- The lender's charge is noted on the title register while a mortgage is outstanding