House Deeds

[tooj]

My daughter's been buying her own house for years. She unfortunately married a man who has made her life a misery. He has now told her he has added his name to the Land Registry deeds so she can't sell it or get him to move out.
My questions are: How do we find out if this is true? Can he do this without her authority (She has had letters from his solicitor, but never returned them or signed anything), and if she should divorce him, could he claim half of it although she has made all the mortgage repayments herself?
Thanks for any advice.

[mazie]

He can't do that without her approval. Here's the number they are very good, she should call them

0300 006 0411

[tonyav]

You could get a copy of the title deeds from here, tooj.
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/land-registry

[tooj]

Many thanks mazie and tonyav for the fast reply. mazie, whose is the phone number?

[Buenchico]

^^^That's the number for the Land Registry's Contact Centre, Tooj.

[tooj]

Thanks buenchico. It's a great relief knowing what to do.

[MallyJ]

I would urge your daughter to discuss with a solicitor whether her husband has a claim on her house. Quickly .. to inform herself. If he has lived there it is possible he can claim something.

[VHG]

Even if she was buying the house, once they are married he has a claim on the house, it is no longer just "hers".

[murraymints]

his only claim on house would be as part of assets if a split happened, house in her name..her house..bog off nasty man !

[murraymints]

..and..he is talking rubbish ..daughter would have to formally dispone half pro indiviso share of property to the slob....I speak as one who worked in Land Registry for years !

[atalanta]

For goodness sake, please go and see the Citizens Advice Bureau. If there is to be a divorce, the value of the house will be taken into consideration. The mortgage payments may or may not be taken into consideration. I have a friend whose exhusband came back after many years abroad, claiming that his huge fortune had disappeared and he was entitled to half the value of the house. A court agreed with him, so my friend had to take out a big mortgage to pay him off. It is vital that the divorce papers include letters from each party to the other agreeing that no further claims will be made after the decree absolute. This was the mistake my friend made.

[lcg]

the citizen's advice bureau is utterly useless at the best of times and only gives very general advice/signposts people to more specific support (i really don't know why people suggest it)......and most people can work that out for themselves if they use google/forums like this. your daughter needs to check the land registry and see solicitor for advice if she wants him out and a divorce. this will obviously cost money in the long run, but she may be able to get a free 1/2 hour consultation on her household insurance (if she is covered) or via a union if she is a member for initial larger answers. after that, if things continue to be messy, she may have to retain a brief and pay through the nose to be rid of him.

more details may help us to help you - like how long has she had her house, when did they marry/the relationship break down and if there has been any behaviour from him that she could use against him (e.g. domestic violence to get an injunction etc.). p.s. if he has fraudulently created papers to stick him on the deeds, she can report him to the police and get him prosecuted!!!! my hubby is a homelessness officer, so if you have any questions about getting him to move out/his and her rights to the house/changing the locks etc. just ask! (p.p.s. do not tell your daughter to change the locks until she is sure she can legally do this, as in some circumstances this is also a criminal offence! this is why more info would be really useful). if you try hard enough, there will be a solution x