Who Has the Deeds to My House

House deeds, often referred to as title deeds, are the legal documents that prove ownership of a property. They may include old conveyances, leases, contracts for sale, and title plans. But in today’s property system in England and Wales, many people no longer need to hold physical copies, as most property ownership is now digitally recorded by HM Land Registry.

If you are wondering who currently holds the deeds to your house, the answer depends on how the property was purchased and whether it is mortgaged.

What Are House Deeds

House deeds are a collection of documents that track the legal ownership of a property and outline historic transactions, boundary agreements, and any rights of way or covenants affecting the land. Before the introduction of compulsory land registration, these paper documents were essential for proving who owned the house.

Today, however, most residential property ownership in England and Wales is registered with HM Land Registry, and a digital register entry has largely replaced the traditional bundle of paper deeds.

Who Holds the Deeds If There Is a Mortgage

If you have a mortgage on the property, your mortgage lender may hold the deeds or at least have a legal interest registered against the title. In practice, the lender’s details appear on the digital title register held by HM Land Registry. The lender does not need the original paper deeds to enforce their rights but may hold them as part of the original mortgage agreement, especially if the property was purchased before digital registration became widespread.

Once the mortgage is paid off, your lender will inform HM Land Registry and their interest will be removed from the title register. Any paper deeds they hold are usually returned to you or to your solicitor.

What If the Property Is Mortgage-Free

If you own your home outright with no mortgage, the deeds may be in your possession, held by your solicitor or lodged with a document storage service. However, they are not strictly needed for proof of ownership if the property is registered, because the Land Registry’s digital records serve as the definitive evidence.

In unregistered cases, which are now rare, the original deeds must still be kept safe. Losing them could make it very difficult to prove ownership and may result in the need to obtain title indemnity insurance.

How to Check Who Has the Deeds

To find out who holds the deeds to your house, you can request a copy of the title register and title plan from HM Land Registry. This will show the current owner, any lenders with an interest, and basic property information. It does not provide historic documents, but it will confirm whether the property is registered and whether a lender still has a legal charge.

If you need historic or supporting documentation, such as covenants or boundary agreements, you or your solicitor can request copies of the title documents that HM Land Registry retains as scanned files.

Do I Need the Deeds

For most people, physical deeds are not essential as long as the property is registered. However, they can still be useful for understanding boundary features, rights of way or old covenants that may not appear in full on the digital title. Solicitors may still refer to the deeds during conveyancing for context or evidence in case of disputes.

If you have them, store them safely and consider scanning them for digital backup. If you lose them and they are not registered or digitised, you could face complications during future sales or refinancing.

Conclusion

The deeds to your house may be held by your mortgage lender, your solicitor, or in some cases by you directly. However, if your property is registered with HM Land Registry, the official record of ownership is held digitally and is what counts in legal terms. Checking your title register is the simplest way to confirm ownership and see if any lender has a registered interest in the property. Physical deeds can still be helpful, especially for older or unregistered homes, but for most modern property transactions, the Land Registry record is the definitive proof of ownership.