Home Improvement

Where to Store House Deeds Safely and Securely in the UK

You are a proud owner of a beautiful house or cosy flat. You’ve paid your mortgage off and now you’re entitled to have your house deeds handed over by your mortgage provider.

And now you wonder where should i keep my house deeds

A legit question that many folks ask themselves. Not to mention that you could be a multiple property owner, who rents out several apartments and a family house. Well, then, you’ll definitely benefit from reading further to learn how to store your house deeds safely and securely, as you’ve got more than one place to worry about, of course. 

Table of Contents:

So, if you:

  • wonder how and where to store your original title deeds;
  • are a landlord of many properties and want to know the different house deed storage options;
  • are about to pay your mortgage off and want to store the title deeds safely, once you get them;

Then, read on, as we’ll delve into these matters in more detail.

What are house deeds and what do they look like?

Property deeds, also called title deeds (house deeds) are official documents, which state the ownership of a property, be it a piece of land or a building. In addition, sale, lease or mortgage contracts, as well as wills, can be also included in all the legal documentation as part of the title deeds.

In terms of what deeds look like, they have undergone, historically, many transformations. The written declaration of property ownership in an official legal document goes back for centuries in the UK and over the years, the paperwork has changed, in terms of size and appearance. For instance, a couple of hundred years ago, title deeds were as big as 1-sq. m. pieces of paper.

Today, you’ll actually find that since 2013, the deeds have been kept in a digital form only, as long as the property has been registered with the Land Registry, where you can get only a copy from should you not have the original paperwork.  

Still, many property owners have their original paper documents for various reasons, such as they’ve long paid their mortgage well before the year of 2013 or they’ve received them directly from the previous owner of the house, upon signing up the property deal, etc.

And these folks often lose sleep over the dilemma of where to keep their house deeds – at home or somewhere else that’s more secure.

So, where to keep house deeds?

Where to keep house deeds safe, as mentioned earlier, is on most homeowners’ mind. This applies to those, who have the original paperwork or a hard copy, issued by the HM Land Registry, as owners are prompted to register their property in the Electronic Land Register. The situation with the latter scenario applies to folks, who simply don’t want to pay again for acquiring the copies if they got lost.

So, if you’ve ever asked yourself who holds the deeds to my house, the above governmental institution is the legally responsible body that keeps all the records of property registration and ownership in the UK, though, now in an electronic form.

So, let’s see where best to keep your house deeds safe and sound:

As far as house deeds storage option go, you have 3 too choose from:

  • Solicitors and mortgage providers – You can have your deeds safeguarded by a solicitor at a cost. This is usually the first choice for business property owners, landlords with multiple properties and the like. It’s not up to you, however, to decide whether your mortgage provider should keep the original deeds of the property that you’re still paying off. Some lenders do store their clients’ deeds, but more often than not, it will be the solicitor, who’s dealt with you at the time of purchase.
  • Bank vaults – Banking institutions provide house deed storage options, as well. You can keep all your important legal property-related documents in a vault or a safe deposit box. You may not believe this, however, but there have been recorded rare cases in the UK of customers being told by a said bank that their title deeds got somehow lost, while in the bank.
  • In a fireproof safe at home – Well, instead of relying on someone else to keep your deeds safe (after all, human error can never be ruled out as a risk, like the above-mentioned example), you can make provisions at home to secure all your important documents and other valuables by placing them in a quality fireproof safe. It may actually prove to be a more cost-effective option in the long run, as the first two deed storage services, naturally, come at an ongoing cost.

Why keep original paper documentation?

Considering that we’ve just mentioned that you can somewhat relax if your property is on record with the Land Registry, where you can always access your digital deeds, then why worry about keeping the original paperwork safe, when you can get a copy from the relevant governmental entity when needed?

Here’s why. 

You see, original documentation more often than not contains extra important information, related to either or both the property itself and any consecutive changes of ownership that might have taken place over the years. Things like information on boundaries, boundary ownership (helpful in neighbours’ disputes), right of access, building regulation consents, special building certificates, contracts of sale, leases, wills, mortgages, planning matters and so on can all be, in effect, inseparable part of your title deeds.

And in a situation where you want to sell your house, the buyer has every right to see those. 

And let’s not forget that virtual safekeeping in this modern age is not necessarily sufficient and 100% secure, as hackers’ attacks and other cloud-related mishaps, taking place in the future, cannot be ruled out completely as a possible risk.

Also, did you know that if you lose these important originals and your house has never been registered with the HM Land Registry, then you will have great difficulties to sell your property at a good price? House buying companies will be your only option, which as a rule will buy your home at a significantly lower price.

Do you need the original copies of your property deeds?

Well, “Do I need title deeds?” has a straightforward answer, provided by the HM Land Registry. If the property and its ownership have been registered with them, then, in a way, no one can dispute the fact that you own your house. Or in other words, you can always prove this fact by obtaining a copy of the deed if necessary or confirm your ownership by checking out the registration records online.

But of course, as the deeds can contain various important pieces of information, it doesn’t hurt to have the hard copy of the documentation at hand.

To explore the matter further, what about when you’re about to sell your house? Do you need the house deeds then? Again, you’re not legally required to provide the buyer with the deeds, as long as the property has been registered with the Land Registry. And in any case, this is generally the job of the solicitor or conveyancer, who is representing you during the sale process. They’ll proceed with obtaining any such legal documents from the relevant authorities.

If the property hasn’t been registered for any reasons, then, presenting your proof of ownership will be a matter of importance.

Last but not least, we should emphasise again here that mortgage payers will not have their deeds until the last instalment has been paid in full, meaning, you may have never seen what your house deeds look like if the bank still owns your house legally. 

You may also like:
Landlord Advice
8 Home Improvements That Add Value to a Rental Property (And 4 That Don’t)

What types of safes are good for house deeds storage?

It goes without saying that standard storage units in your home, like the filing cabinet in your study or a drawer in your bedroom, are out of the question here as safekeeping solutions because they are not secure enough against burglary, fire or flooding. So, your options for safe storage of house deeds at home come down to 3 options:

  • Fireproof and waterproof safe box
    • Recommended for secure storage of property deeds at home;
    • Comes in various shapes, sizes, and price ranges;
    • Can be stationary or portable, providing flexibility in placement.
  • Document chests, deed boxes, also called as document boxes
    • Commonly used terms for safes designed to safeguard important documents;
    • Typically fire-resistant for up to 60 minutes, depending on type and price;
    • Equipped with a secure locking mechanism, often using a code combination.
  • Small House Safe
    • Ideal for storing house deeds, along with other valuables and important documents;
    • Offers a compact and versatile solution for home security;
    • Provides an additional layer of protection against burglary, fire, or flooding;
    • Can be chosen based on size and features to suit individual needs.
All of them will provide you with that extra peace of mind. The only mishap that can happen, really, is to forget your safe lock combination, which is not the end of the world, as a professional London locksmith can assist you with the safe opening job anytime.

Can’t get to your house deeds, kept in a safe?

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Extra tips to secure home storage of title deeds against theft

If you’ve taken all the other information to heart, then you wouldn’t mind some extra tips for the further safe storage of house deeds.

  • Install burglar alarm
    • It enhances the overall home security beyond safeguarding the deeds;
    • It’s particularly beneficial when using portable safes for deeds and other valuables.
  • Registration with Immobilise.com
    • Collaborates with the Police for stolen item recovery.
    • Provides an additional layer of security against theft.
  • Wireless CCTV Cameras Installation
    • Affordable and effective way to enhance property safety.
    • Easily installed for continuous surveillance.
  • Smart Locks
    • Install smart locks for an additional layer of security. These locks often come with features like remote monitoring and access control.
    • Choose locks from reputable brands that offer encryption and regular firmware updates.

Takeaways

  • Most title deeds might be digitally stored in a governmental property registration body, but it is strongly recommended to keep the original hard copies also safe.
  • Some properties are not registered with the Land Register, which means that one may suffer significant losses if they lose their original property-related paperwork and the house deeds. 
  • Keeping your title deeds at home in a fireproof safe is often a secure and cost-effective option if you don’t want to use someone else’s storage services at a cost.
  • It’s worth boosting the overall security of your home by installing a smart surveillance device or a burglar alarm for extra protection.

Disclaimer: Every piece of information here is meant for informational and educational purposes only. So please, do not use this as a definitive legal basis. Fantastic Services encourages you to seek authority professional counsel before you decide to act upon what you have read. For more information, check our disclaimer.

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Did you find this post on how to store your house deeds safe helpful? Where do you keep yours? Do share with us in the comment section below!

Image source: Shutterstock / Matt Benoit

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