Homeowners’ deeds should not be destroyed

SIR – Paul Berry (Letters, April 10) should consider a claim for damages against his mortgagee for the destruction of his title deeds.

The deeds were his property, subject only to the legal charge.

They were not simply evidence of his title, but had a value in themselves as historic documents.

If the mortgagee no longer required them, presumably because the title had been registered, they or the Land Registry should have returned them to him or at least offered to do so.

His Honour Bertram Maddocks Aughton, Lancashire

SIR – As an amateur local historian, I am frequently asked by residents of the town if I can tell them about the history of their houses. Without the deeds it is extremely difficult.

I live in a Seventies bungalow but my deeds contain details of houses in the main road dating back to 1903, as the building plot was formed by the sale of the bottom half of their smallholdings as well as the Diocese of Chichester. I have photocopies.

A solicitor informed me that, legally, the deeds belong to the house and should be passed to each successive occupant, so how can “dematerialisation” without consulting the owners be justified? This is wholesale destruction of local history.

Selsey, West Sussex

SIR – When we moved into our house, our solicitor gave us a pile of legal documents dating back to the original 1866 lease of the land for building purposes, along with all subsequent assignments and conveyances, to give us a full history of its ownership.

Our solicitor said we did not need to keep them, but they are fascinating documents, and we shall ensure that they are passed on to the next owners.

Penrhyndeudraeth, Merionethshire