House purchase: garage (in separate block) still registered to owner before current vendor

[dubyalass]

I’m hoping that this can be resolved relatively easily once the solicitors do their digging, but wondered if anyone has been in this situation.

I’m buying a probate house with a garage in a separate block nearby. I downloaded the title plan for the house and noticed the garage wasn’t on it. Having found the Inspire parcel numbers I then searched for them on the Land Registry, only to find they are still registered to the person who bought them in 2014, not the woman who bought the house in 2017 (who has now died, hence it being a probate sale). It may be that the original conveyance wasn’t properly updated on the LR, and the solicitors can sort it out without too much trouble, but I have a feeling that this could get quite complicated, particularly as I have a suspicion that the previous sale was also a probate sale.

I will ring my solicitors tomorrow for advice but has anyone had this happen before? I don’t desperately need a garage but it would be useful and if it’s not included I will be reducing my offer.

I would be concerned that no one mentioned the garage situation to you. If you hadn't found out yourself do you think they would have said or were they hoping you wouldn't notice? Did the person in the house previously use the garage?

I think anyone buying the house would notice that the garage isn’t on the main title plan and query it. The agents didn’t have a key for the garage during the viewing but it’s just a garage in a standard block so I wasn’t too fussed.

I’d be surprised if it’s anything other than a mistake when it was last sold, because the garage isn’t anywhere useful (I.e. it’s not in the middle of town where there’s no parking) but I guess it depends on being able to find out who did the conveyancing last time.

I had the same problem with a parking space, it was still registered with the previous owners. My Solicitor managed to track them down (in Spain!) & it was all sorted out by letter.

Check it’s possible it was sold without the garage last time, and the previous owners kept it, as they needed the storage. As such it might not be for sale.

Fab, thank you @Ifailed - let's hope the 2017 vendor is still around!

More than likely a conveyancing error. When we went to sell our house, bought new, the garage hadn't been registered with the LR. Sorted easily. Hopefully yours will be the same 🤞

Definitely @Dirtylittleroses , for all I know they might have moved locally and kept the garage. With luck the executors will be able to find the paperwork relating to the 2017 purchase and that will show what the situation is.

If it's not in the original title deed then it may not come with the house.

Yes happened to our chain, but with a massive front garden. It did eventually get sorted but needed a deed of variation registering with the land registry, which could only be done by the previous owner and their solicitors, who were twats.

Added about 8 weeks to our conveyancing and a LOT of stress. A lot. Too much.

I won't expect to move any time soon then! And there I was thinking that a chain-free purchase might be relatively simple. Sigh.