When not immediately replaced, a lost land title could cost you your property.

Heres what you should do

If you own a property, you must safeguard certain documents that prove your ownership. The most

important of these documents is perhaps the original copy of your land title. Many experts agree that

having a certified true copy in your possession is not enough.

Many Filipinos who have lost their Owners Copy of Land Title do not have an idea on what steps to take

or where to start. They often delay their application for the issuance of a new original copy, as many of

them assume that everything will be alright as long as they are residing in the property with the lost title.

However, there are very real risks associated with this.

For example, if fraudulent persons discover that you have lost your owners copy, they could deceive

unsuspecting buyers into buying your property by posing as owners. In addition, if you plan to sell your

property, having the original copy of the land title with you is crucial, as the Title Transfer cannot take

place if it is missing.

In the case of properties to be passed on as inheritance, the situation becomes even more complicated if

the owner (or owners) of the property indicated in the land title are already deceased. The heirs in this

case need to execute an Extra-Judicial Settlement of Estate first before starting the reissuance or

reconstitution. If one of the heirs is already deceased, then this makes the situation even more

problematic.

Steps for Replacing a Lost Land Title

There are several stages to be undertaken in order to have your land title reissued. At first glance, these

steps may look tedious, but it is very important that the property owner go through them.

1. Filing for Annotation of the Affidavit of Loss

2. Requesting a Certified True Copy with the Loss already annotated

3. Filing of Petition with the Regional Trial Court

4. Jurisdictional Hearing

5. Submission of Evidence

6. Issuance of Court Decision

7. Issuance of Certificate of Finality

8. Filing of Court Decision and Certificate of Finality at the Registry of Deeds

9. Issuance of Replacement Owners Land Title

If the property owner has a busy lifestyle, he will need a company who can assist in applying for a

reissuance or reconstitution of Land Title. In addition, since the reissuance of the lost land title will have to

go through court, he will also need the services of a lawyer. However, once the Original Copy of Land

Title is reissued, every effort and expense will all be worth it.

OMI Land Title Services assists in solving a wide range of land and property issues, including title

verification, lost titles, title transfer, extrajudicial settlement, and unpaid property taxes. A one-stop shop

of land title services, the company has been in the industry for several years now and has served

numerous satisfied corporate clients and individual property owners.