Help! Land registry not updated

[mhase]

We sold our property by auction back in October. We've today been contacted by the council re the council tax. They have said:

A Land Registry notification has confirmed that you remain the owner of this property and nothing is outstanding with Land Registry to advise this will change.

Has anyone experienced this before?! I remember signing the transfer when the solicitor asked us to. I've contacted them for clarity but now I'm worried I'm officially still the owner?!

Sorry - the middle paragraph should have been italics

It could be your solicitor failed to register the sale. This happened to us, and we didn't find out until we came to put the house on the market 3 years later!

It's been a pain due to timing, but it's an easy fix. Tell your solicitors the registration hasn't happened, tell them to fix it and ask for a letter from them confirming the sale and the date when registration should have happened so that the council know not to charge you.

@UnconsideredTrifles thanks - I was worried this would create all sorts of new issues for us!

I'm hoping the council will see the letter as acceptable as I don't want to be responsible for the council tax at another property.

Hopefully it's a quick/easy change...

I wouldn't count on it being quick, but it's not a unique problem so it should be easy enough

@SendMeHome that's good enough for me - all worst case scenarios in my head!

In England or Wales is for the buyer’s solicitor to register. Can you contact your buyer?

@MinnieMountain thanks!

I will await the response from our solicitor and try to contact the buyer if I need to. He's a property developer so not sure how easy that will be

Your solicitor should contact your buyers solicitor with a very strongly worded letter.