Inherited property

Inherited unregistered property

Registering unregistered property from an estate — handled the correct way, in the name of the person now entitled.

Registering property you’ve inherited

Inheriting an unregistered property is one of the most common moments people discover a title was never registered. It’s also the point at which registration is most worth doing — both to protect the asset and to make any future sale by the family straightforward.

An important legal point

You cannot make a voluntary first registration in the name of someone who has died. Under the Administration of Estates Act 1925, the estate vests in the personal representatives on death. The property is transferred to the person entitled by an ‘assent’, and the application is made in the name of that beneficiary or transferee — not the deceased. A specialist solicitor handles this correctly.

How it works

The estate route to registration

Establish authority

The personal representatives (executors or administrators) obtain the grant of probate or letters of administration.

Locate the deeds

The solicitor gathers the unregistered title deeds — or evidences ownership if they’re missing.

Assent to the beneficiary

The personal representatives transfer the property to the person entitled under the will or intestacy, by a document called an assent.

Register the new owner

First registration is applied for in the name of the beneficiary/transferee — securing their ownership at the reduced voluntary fee.

Questions

Frequently asked

Can I register the property in my late parent’s name?
No. A voluntary first registration can’t be made in the name of a deceased owner. The property passes through the estate and is registered in the name of the person now entitled, following an assent. This is a technical area — a specialist solicitor will handle it properly.
Do we need probate first?
Usually yes — the personal representatives need authority to deal with the estate before the property can be assented and registered. Your solicitor will confirm what’s required in your circumstances.
Is it worth registering before we sell the inherited property?
Often, yes. Registering first can make the eventual sale smoother and avoids the buyer’s solicitor having to work through unregistered deeds. See selling or remortgaging.

Next step

Get a straight answer on your property

Send the address and what you know. We’ll confirm the status, explain your options and — if it helps — introduce a specialist solicitor with a fixed-fee quote.

No obligation. We respond within 2 hours during business hours and confirm a specialist solicitor within 24 hours.