Dispelling Conveyancing Myths

The Reality

You can measure your exact legal boundaries on the Land Registry Plan.

You can measure all you like, but the red boundary lines can be up to a metre out in urban areas and three to four metres on rural plans. The plan on the deeds is little more than a sketch plan with no measurement and shows only a general boundary line.

You need the property deeds to prove ownership of title

Not necessarily!  If your land is registered at the Land Registry, since October 2003 all you need is a record of the Title Number and any paper documents you have are of no use as evidence of title.

You can build a conservatory without planning permission

In some cases this is true, but it all depends on the original planning consent for the property and the local authority’s planning policies.  So no matter what the conservatory company says you need to check this out before you go ahead, as you may need express consent to do anything. And it’s a much better idea than having to pull it down later.

I don’t need a survey the mortgage company’s one will do

The mortgage company’s survey is likely to be a ‘drive by’ survey – which can literally mean someone drives by the property to check it is there and looks worth the amount they are lending – not what you are paying for the house. So if they are lending you £200,000 and you are paying £400,000 for the house, they are only checking to see if it is worth £200,000.

I can do what I like to my flat once it’s mine

Not so.  You are likely to have restrictions in your lease, such as only being able to have carpeted floors. However, there are sometimes ways round this if you promise to do certain things, such as install a sound proof membrane with laminate flooring.

I can rely on the guarantees for any work done in the past on the house I’m buying

Guarantees are often worthless, if for example the company has gone into liquidation or original documents (often needed to make a claim) have been lost.