Solicitors closed down. Documents needed!

[merton69]

We have just found out that our Solicitors who helped us move house 10 years ago have closed down. They have documents of ours.

We were not notified about this.

How do we go about getting these documents please?

[Eve]

What documents are they?

Files in general need to be archived for 6 years before being destroyed.

Any important deeds or documents such as wills have to be kept indefinitely in fireproof storage.

Chances are they may be with another firm, possibly the Law Society will have arranged for them to be looked after properly.

What were they called and where were they, can you remember the name of the solicitor you dealt with?

I'll then see what I can find out for you.

[Eve]

Further to that and if you don't want to disclose the details then this is the SRA guidance...

http://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/solic itor-closed-down.page

[merton69]

Thanks Jenna.

They have our house deeds and the Solicitors are Avery Parkes, 17-18 Orchard St. Bristol.

Thanks for your assistance!

[Eve]

I've found a Donald Avery in Bristol...

Qualified in 1989 so old enough.

http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/choosingandusing/ findasolicitor/view=solicitordetails.law?id=14 2674&orgid=49916&SURNAME=avery&FORENAMES=&FIRM NAME=&POSTCODE=bristol&searchType=S

May be worth giving Hoole & Co a ring who he now works for to see if he had anything to do with them and knows where the docs may be.

Even if he's not connected he or others in the Law Firm may well know what happened to the solciitors.

Phone Number: 0117 969 1436

[merton69]

Jenna.

Many thanks

I will contact tomorrow.

[Eve]

Just a thought but have you moved since or changed address somehow (unlikely if you still need your deeds) so if they sent out the deeds to you you may not have got them?

Do you know if your property was registered at the Land Registry with a title number?

Compulsory land registration for Bristol was from the 1 Dec 1967 so if it was a normal sale the property should be registered.

If so, all the title info will be on the register. You can check here if it is registered...

http://www.landregisteronline.gov.uk/

What else may have been with the deeds that you may need as there may be other ways of getting hold of the info I may be able to help with.

Could they have also sent them to your lender? May be worth checking with them what they have.

If they can't help then contact the SRA...

0870 606 2555 (inside the UK),

09.00 to 17.00, Monday to Friday

[merton69]

Once again, thanks for your tremendous help.

A lot of phone calls tomorrow!!