In relation to the seller’s registered title, what is a likely pre-contract issue requiring action to satisfy the buyer’s lawyer?

• A. The mortgagee’s restriction requires consent
• B. An issue with the seller’s name that must be corrected by deed poll
• C. A name discrepancy in the proprietorship register; need to obtain a marriage certificate
• D. An outstanding pre-contract search matters

Answer: (C)

Ensuring the seller’s identity matches the registered proprietor is the key idea here. At pre-contract, the buyer’s lawyer needs to be confident that the person selling is indeed the person shown as the owner on the Land Registry title and that the name on the title aligns with the seller’s current identity. If there is a name discrepancy in the proprietorship register, a standard step is to obtain documentary evidence linking the names so the buyer’s position is protected.

A marriage certificate is a typical piece of evidence used to show that the person appearing on the register under one name is the same person who is selling under another name due to marriage. This helps confirm ownership and allows any necessary name adjustments on the register to be addressed before completion, preventing future disputes over who can transfer the title.

Mortgagee consent and deed polls are relevant in other scenarios—mortgage restrictions relate to encumbrances on the title, and a deed poll fixes a name for documentary purposes in some cases—but the most likely pre-contract action tied directly to the registered title discrepancy is producing the appropriate evidence of name linkage, with a marriage certificate being a common and straightforward example. Outstanding pre-contract search matters are a broader, less specific issue compared to the direct title-name problem.