Land Registry Title Plan
25/10/2017
The title plan is produced by the Land Registry and is a map of the General Position of the boundaries of a registered title in accordance with Rule 5 of the Land Registration Rules 2003. The title plan is based on the Ordnance Survey map and shows the extent of the land in a registered title by a red line/box on the title plan.
The name 'title plan' makes reference to the fact it is a plan of a specific title number. Every plot of land has a different title number and you can find out your own title number by looking at your Official Copy of Register of Title.
The title plan shows the title highlighted in red which is a representation of where a property’s legal boundaries are located, based on the ‘General Boundaries’ system of land registration. It does not show your precise legal boundary (read on to find out more on this).
In our article below we run through:
- What does a title plan show?
- What is the general boundary?
- What is the difference between a physical boundary and the legal boundary?
- Does the title plan show the legal boundary?
- How to get a copy of the title plan?
- What is the title plan?
*Fixed Fee – No Sale No Fee – On all Major Lender Panels
What does your title plan show?
- the title number of the land, for example TGL123456.
- the land included in the title which is normally edged in red. There may be other colours or markings on the plan. The significance of these is explained in the Register of Title.
- the scale at which the plan is drawn.
What is the General Boundary?
The General Boundaries system is used in England and Wales for registering land. The title plan shows the boundary of the property in relation to other physical features on the ground such as hedges, trees or walls.
It is very important to note that the red edging on a Land Registry title plan is not definitive as to the precise position of the title's boundaries. For this reason official copies of title plans carry the following warning:
'This title plan shows the general position of the boundaries: it does not show the exact line of the boundaries. Measurements scaled from this plan may not match measurements between the same points on the ground'.
What is the difference between a physical boundary and the legal boundary?
There is no special meaning to the word boundary, however in land ownership it is understood in two ways:
The Physical Boundary:
A registered title almost never shows ownership of individual boundary structures such as walls, fences and hedges. There may, however, be some relevant information on the register or in Land Registry’s files. For example, Land Registry may have kept a copy of a deed that refers to a boundary declaration or agreement, or to the ownership or maintenance of boundaries. Please note that, deeds rarely deal with such matters. If ownership or maintenance is important to you, you may, for example, need to talk to neighbours and/or previous owners.
The Legal Boundary:
A legal boundary deals with the precise separation of ownership of land. It is an invisible line dividing one person’s land from another’s. It does not have thickness or width and usually, but not always, falls somewhere in or along a physical boundary feature such as a wall, fence or hedge. The exact positions of the legal boundaries are almost never shown on registered title plans.
Does the title plan show the legal boundary?
The Title Plan will not establish precisely where or on which side of a mapped physical feature the legal boundary lies. A Title Plan with 'general boundaries' shows the boundary of a property in relation to a physical feature on the ground such as a wall or hedge as identified on our map. Your title plan will not therefore establish the precise position of your legal boundary.
How can I get a copy of my title plan?
Anyone can buy a copy of any title in England and Wales. All you need is the property postcode and house number, then you can log onto the Land Registry and order the title plan. You can also order an Official Copy of Register of Title at the same time which should be an up to date snap shot of restrictions, ownership and registered charges.
What is the cost of a title plan?
You can buy a title plan from the Land Registry Online portal for £3 (or £6 if you include the Official Copy of Register of Title as well).
*Fixed Fee – No Sale No Fee – On all Major Lender Panels
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