Mary Wright

Mary’s current role is focused on assisting the team with post-completion, complex registrations of title, and ensuring that the correct documentation is delivered to HM Land Registry (HMLR).

She ensures that all restrictions and charges have been correctly dealt with and makes sure that the completed registration and title have been received.

Whether it is making amendments to drafted plans, getting consent from a third-party, or ensuring deeds of covenants are prepared and delivered appropriately, Mary is highly experienced in overseeing the different stages of this complex specialist area.

Mary deals with numerous new build transactions from large estates to bespoke new builds and ensures that all documentation is correctly delivered.

If you asked Mary which part of her role she really enjoys, it would be re-constitution of titles and possessory title applications, particularly when dealing with more complex cases. An important part of Mary’s role is to manage and oversee several first registration titles.

This is mainly due to the “backlog” held at HMRL. Mary deals with questions issued by the Land Registry, inspects the original deeds, and delivers fast and effective responses. Her years of experience and effective approach ensure that properties are registered in a timely manner for clients.

Notable Residential Property cases

• Leasehold - Sale & Purchase
  

  Acting for the family of a deceased lady who wanted to sell her retirement complex flat. Mary ensured that the correct paperwork was filled out and that the buyer met the correct criteria. Providing a copy of the accounts and Fire Risk Assessment/Asbestos Assessment were further considerations taken by Mary. She also made sure that 1% of the sale price was paid to the management company upon completion, as this was a term of the lease.

• Leasehold - Sale & Purchase
  

  Acting for a lady who was buying a retirement flat in a new location. Mary ensured that her client received all the relevant paperwork and that a copy of the lease was obtained, detailing all special clauses like parking rules and communal areas. Mary explained the clauses to her client in detail and ensured that she understood everything.

• Deeds of Variation
  

  Deeds of variation can be quite complex. One of Mary’s clients wanted his leasehold flat lease to be changed so it included a clause allowing holiday lets. As the freehold was owned by four people in total, Mary had to liaise with each of them and the client’s lender to obtain consent.

• Reconstitution of Titles / Possessory Title Applications
  

  Acting for a man whose mother had passed away and wanted to sell the property, but the property turned out to be unregistered. Mary asked her client to produce evidence of his mother paying council tax or utility bills. She also advised her client to get a land charge search and send a letter to his mother’s bank, asking for further evidence. With various pieces of evidence and a statement from her client, Mary made a successful application to the Land Registry. Once registered, Mary’s client was able to sell the property.

• Reconstitution of Titles / Possessory Title Applications
  

  Acting for a client who had been using a parking area for many years. They had chained up the entrance and maintained the ground area on a regular basis. Mary made an application to the Land Registry for possessory title / absolute title and in turn, they informed her that the area was owned by a utility company that had just been registered as the owner. A letter to the company resulted in Mary’s client paying a very reasonable sum to have the land transferred to them.

• Unregistered Property
  

  Following the system of compulsory registration that came into place in 1996, there are still a lot of unregistered properties being sold, resulting in lots of first registrations. Mary completed a first registration, where she had the correct copy of the title deeds but the one question that remained was the extent of the property. The Land Registry sent Mary and her client a plan showing them where they thought the boundaries lay. Mary’s client agreed that the plan was correct, and the registration went through smoothly.

• Voluntary First Registrations
  

  Handling a case whereby a couple wanted to register their property so that everything would be ready for their children when they passed away. Mary was informed by the client that the property had a private road splitting it from the garden area. Having checked that all the title deeds were in order, Mary found that the deed gave a right of way over the private road to the neighbouring properties. Mary was able to fill in the correct application forms and the registration came back successfully.