How do I go about getting the missing house deeds reconstituted? Also, what could the cost in terms of money and time be?
My father had noted in a journal entry that he had left the deeds with his solicitor when the house became his on completion of the mortgage. Then 6 years later he noted that he had bought out the ground rent and had deposited the Vesting Cert "with said solicitor". The solicitor has said that they do not have the deeds. So if his solicitor doesn't have them then the only other possibility is the bank he banked with all his adult life or somewhere in the house.
His bank also have said that they do not have them and we've gone through the house thoroughly.
I feel that the solicitor has lost the deeds. I know they have moved premises a couple of times since Dad left the deeds with them. It was clear to me that the solicitor didn't want the probate business because they quoted a fee that was almost 3.5% of the gross value of estate (plus outlays and vesting and PRA fees) and didn't come back with a lower quote when invited to do so. I may be reading too much into this but I feel it's possible they didn't push for the probate business because they knew they had lost the deeds.
Anyway, we are where we are and so I'd appreciate advice on reconstituting the deeds.
My father had noted in a journal entry that he had left the deeds with his solicitor when the house became his on completion of the mortgage. Then 6 years later he noted that he had bought out the ground rent and had deposited the Vesting Cert "with said solicitor". The solicitor has said that they do not have the deeds. So if his solicitor doesn't have them then the only other possibility is the bank he banked with all his adult life or somewhere in the house.
His bank also have said that they do not have them and we've gone through the house thoroughly.
I feel that the solicitor has lost the deeds. I know they have moved premises a couple of times since Dad left the deeds with them. It was clear to me that the solicitor didn't want the probate business because they quoted a fee that was almost 3.5% of the gross value of estate (plus outlays and vesting and PRA fees) and didn't come back with a lower quote when invited to do so. I may be reading too much into this but I feel it's possible they didn't push for the probate business because they knew they had lost the deeds.
Anyway, we are where we are and so I'd appreciate advice on reconstituting the deeds.
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