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Property/DIY

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Possesory title and building works

3 replies

theclampits · 17/06/2025 07:20

Okay so I started a thread yesterday because the house we’re buying turns out the vendors have lost the deeds. They’re in their 90’s, been there since the 60’s and raised their kids there. They’re now selling to move closer to their children and grandchildren.
We’ve quite a good relationship with the vendors, they wanted to meet us when we offered, without the estate agents there, the chap is old school and just wanted to meet us himself, which we thought was fair enough.
We’ve even helped them move some of their stuff to their new property in another part of the country.
So that’s the background. The house is unregistered because I guess they never had any need to require registering or, no divorce or house move etc.
So it seems we can still get our mortgage with indemnity insurance and most lenders are fine with this.
We’re now considering still proceeding because we want this house, it’s always been this house and I don’t want to walk away. As I understand it we can apply for title absolute after 12 years. My solicitor has checked the neighbours boundaries and it all matches up with how the property is mapped out if that makes sense. Also both houses next door either side are registered.
The vendors have given evidence of them living there, done statement of truth and my solicitor said it’s still possible with the evidence they have provided they will get a title absolute.

My question is, we wanted to extend the property, are we still allowed to do this with a possesory title ? The solicitor said boundaries will be drawn out and provided with whatever title the land registry decides to give. It just won’t say who owns what boundary either side or something.

Would really like to know if we can still do the works we had planned with a possesory title. Thank you.

OP posts:
theclampits · 17/06/2025 07:33

I have searched and searched online about commencing building works on a house you own with a possesory title but cannot find anything relating to it.

OP posts:
sbplanet · 17/06/2025 11:37

Who would you apply to for permission to do the work you want to do? Ask them and then double check their written answer. You're not really going to rely on an answer from a forum are you? :)

MH0084 · 17/06/2025 11:44

In theory, you can if it’s a freehold (which I imagine is the case). The only problem is that if you ought to have problems down the road, I’m not sure the title insurance would cover it. So double check that aspect.

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