Paying off your mortgage is a major milestone, but the process is not quite finished. In Scotland, once your final payment is made, you need to discharge the Standard Security from your property title. Until this is done, your lender’s charge remains on the Land Register. At Pomphreys Solicitors, we guide you through the discharge process quickly and efficiently, ensuring your title is clear and your home fully yours.
What is a Standard Security?
When you take out a mortgage in Scotland, your lender registers a Standard Security against your property. This is a legal charge that gives the lender rights if you default on repayments, including repossession and sale. The Standard Security is recorded in the Securities Section of your Title Sheet in the Land Register.
Once the loan is repaid, however, there is no longer any need for the charge to remain. To update the records, it must be formally discharged.
What Happens When the Mortgage is Repaid?
After your final payment, your lender will confirm that the loan has been cleared. However, they will not automatically remove the Standard Security. Instead, they will advise you to contact your solicitor to arrange for the discharge.
How Do You Discharge a Standard Security?
Your solicitor will:
- Contact the lender to confirm the mortgage has been repaid.
- Prepare a Discharge of Standard Security and send it to the lender for signing.
- Submit the signed document to the Registers of Scotland.
Once registered, the Standard Security is removed from your Title Sheet, leaving “no entries” in the Securities Section. This confirms there are no outstanding charges over your home.
The process is straightforward and usually completed quickly with the help of a solicitor.
Why It Matters
Discharging the Standard Security ensures your property is free from any encumbrances. This is particularly important if you plan to sell or transfer ownership in the future. It also provides peace of mind that your home is fully yours.
It’s also a good time to review your estate planning. With your home mortgage-free, preparing or updating your Will ensures the property is passed on according to your wishes.
Why Choose Pomphreys?
At Pomphreys Solicitors, we specialise in Scottish property law and have decades of experience helping clients with mortgage discharges, property transactions, and estate planning. We’ll handle the paperwork and registration process efficiently, leaving you with a clear title and complete ownership.
Speak to Us Today
If you’ve repaid your mortgage and need to discharge the Standard Security, we can help. Contact Pomphreys Solicitors today and let us make the process quick and hassle-free.
📞 Call us on 01698 373365
💻 Or visit our website to get started
This article is by Joe Rowan
Joe Rowan, Assistant Solicitor
Joe Rowan is an Assistant Solicitor at Pomphreys, Solicitors, Wishaw, based in our Kenilworth Avenue office. After years as a legal advisor with a football club, Joe decided it was time to get back into mainstream law, preferably in a conveyancing or private client role, areas of law he’s always enjoyed. Happily, for Joe, such a position became available at Pomphreys around the same time, and he was delighted to become part of the firm.
Tel: 01698 373365
Email: jr@pomphreyslaw.com
