Transfer Deeds

The term ‘transfer deeds’ refers to the Land Registry document that legally transfers ownership of a property from the seller to the buyer upon completion of the sale. These deeds are also required in other scenarios where a property passes from one person to another. Examples include divorce and if someone dies and leaves their property to someone else, rather than it being sold to create more cash for the estate.

The transfer deeds are handled by a conveyancing solicitor or conveyancer. The property being bought must be registered with HM Land Registry at the end of the conveyancing process. The registration will be done in the name of the person or persons buying the property. Only after this stage is complete will the ownership officially pass from the seller to the buyer(s). It is important to understand a property in England or Wales cannot be sold until the transfer deeds (and the rest of the conveyancing process) are complete.

Transfer deeds are sometimes mixed up with title deeds, but they are a separate entity. Included with the transfer deeds is information gleaned from a local land search, which should confirm there are no issues with the land before the sale proceeds. The contract drawn up with input from both parties should also be part of the deeds, as this will indicate the conditions of sale and the passing of the property from one party to the other.

It is not necessary for the buyer or seller to understand the ins and outs of transfer deeds, as their solicitor or conveyancer will handle all this for them. It can help to understand roughly what is involved at this part of the process though.