I am applying for a new mortgage and have just recieved a letter from the solicitors explaining what searches they will do. i need to know what are Land charges search (£2.00 per name) and also what Land Registry Search (£4.00) are and what the chances of them connecting me to a previous repossession some 6 1/2 years ago Lucy

-- (itsmelucy2002@yahoo.co.uk), September 09, 2002

Answers

The Land Registry Search is against the property you are buying , the search will show the registered owner and the name and address of any mortgagee who has a charge over the property.

The Land Charges Search at £2 per name is to check that the owners of the property have not had a bankruptcy petition presented against them.

You will not get found out about your repo 6.5 years ago through these two searches which relate to the property you are buying, but it is possible that when the prospective mortgagees do a credit reference search and/or a repossession register search, you may well be scuppered as these two do research your name and some other personal details.

-- David J. Button (davidjohnbutton@supanet.com), September 09, 2002.

Thank you David for your reply..

Does the fact that i have already had a mortgage offer from a building society mean that I am in the clear so to speak? By that i mean that i went to a mortgage broker and we filled in an application form on the computer, I was expecting an immediate decline but was surprised that it came back as an offer? Lucy

-- (itsmelucy2002@yahoo.co.uk), September 10, 2002.

Yes, verily it looketh that you are in the clear!!! Good luck with it all.

-- David J. Button (davidjohnbutton@supanet.com), September 10, 2002.