Mother died a year ago, but her name is not on deeds? but her solicitor is? puzzled...

[macboy000]

Hello ,  

My mother died a year ago so we are now starting probate ,  

we need to check land registry and we have just done that ,  

my mother has lived in the house all her life and bought it many many years ago ,  

 

when we checked the land registry it shows only her solicitors name and no mention of her ,  

he has also passed away many years ago ,  

Why would only he be on the form and no mention of my mother ?

[honeybee13]

Hi. That sounds unusual.

 

I take it you're acting as executor and is the firm still in existence? I'm wondering if you can get more information acting as legal personal representative if they are there, but it could depend on how long ago this transaction happened.

 

HB

[unclebulgaria67]

So you need to see the deeds, to find out more information.

 

As far as I understand it, if the Solicitors stored the deeds and they are no longer in practice, then they should have arranged storage of the documents.

 

Is the firm of Solicitors still in existence or is there any firm that have taken over from them ?

 

 

[macboy000]

27 minutes ago, unclebulgaria67 said:

So you need to see the deeds, to find out more information.

 

As far as I understand it, if the Solicitors stored the deeds and they are no longer in practice, then they should have arranged storage of the documents.

 

Is the firm of Solicitors still in existence or is there any firm that have taken over from them ?

 

 

The son has taken over the business ,   you think thats the reason the solicitors name is on the land registry ?   Hes holding the deeds ?

[unclebulgaria67]

Possible the Solicitors have documents, although I thought much had been changed to electronic registration now.

 

Suggest you get hold of the Son who has taken over, to find out what documents they have.

[Ethel Street]

Is this a Land Registry document that's headed "Title number : xxxxxxxxx" followed by a few lines of text then a box headed REGISTER EXTRACT ?

 

If so, in the REGISTER EXTRACT box, what does it says against 'Registered Owner(s)'? [Anonymise the names shown but explain to us who they are please].

 

 

[macboy000]

49 minutes ago, Ethel Street said:

Is this a Land Registry document that's headed "Title number : xxxxxxxxx" followed by a few lines of text then a box headed REGISTER EXTRACT ?

 

If so, in the REGISTER EXTRACT box, what does it says against 'Registered Owner(s)'? [Anonymise the names shown but explain to us who they are please].

 

 

yes ,   and then the solicitors name and home address 

[honeybee13]

I asked earlier if you're executor? See what other people think, but I think you need to contact the son/firm and find out what he can tell you. If he doesn't want to tell you, you may need to send an SAR on behalf of the estate.

 

HB

[Ethel Street]

So as Registered Owner it shows only the name of the solicitor - just his personal name, no indication that it is the name of his firm of solicitors? And the address (which will be the address he gave when he became the Registered Owner) is shown as his home address, not the business address of his firm of solicitors?

 

That is odd, and on the face of it hard to see why it has happened.

 

We need to see the whole of that document to see if that explains what was going on. Please can you upload to here as a single pdf document.  Read our UPLOAD guide. Cover up the personal information and the address of the property and title number.

 

Is this a house you thought your mother owned Freehold? You say you thought she bought it "many many" years ago? Roughly how many years ago? Did it have a mortgage  on it when your mother died?

 

And can you give us the answer the question about your status? Are you the Executor of her Will? If so do you have Probate yet? {Edit: I just noticed you say in post #1 that you are now starting probate}

 

I suggest you hold off contacting the firm of solicitors now run by his son until we've been able to see the full document.

[Ethel Street]

11 hours ago, macboy000 said:

The son has taken over the business ,   you think thats the reason the solicitors name is on the land registry ?   Hes holding the deeds ?

 

No, I don't think that would explain anything, even if the firm of solicitors are still holding any documents. That would make no sense at all.

 

Let's see if the Land Registry document helps when you upload it here (it may or may not explain things).

 

As it appears the title is registered with the Land Registry there is no longer any need for the previous Title Deeds. The are not needed. They are often destroyed once a title is registered with Land Registry, or kept just for historical interest. No harm in asking whether the solicitors kept them, you never know what background they mightgive.

[mantis shrimp]

Do you know how your mother acquired the house? 

 

Is there any possibility that the solicitor was an executor of the estate of some previous deceased owner, and that he overlooked signing the property over to your mother as beneficiary? 

Edited March 7, 2022 by mantis shrimp
typo corrected