Land Registry Search Explained for House Sales

When a property is sold in England or Wales, one of the first things the buyer's solicitor does is carry out a Land Registry search. This is not a single document — it involves obtaining several records from HM Land Registry that together confirm who owns the property, what land is included, and what legal interests affect the title.

If you are selling your home, the results of the Land Registry search underpin every aspect of the legal transfer. Issues flagged on the title register can generate enquiries, cause delays, or prompt the buyer to renegotiate. Understanding what these documents contain — and checking them yourself before you list — is one of the simplest ways to prepare for a smoother sale. For a broader view of all the searches carried out during conveyancing, see our guide to property searches explained.

What is a Land Registry search?

A Land Registry search is the process of obtaining and reviewing the official records held by HM Land Registry for a particular property. HM Land Registry is the government body responsible for registering ownership of land and property in England and Wales. It maintains a register of over 26 million titles, covering approximately 88% of all land.

The search typically involves obtaining two key documents:

• Official copy of the title register — A text document that records the legal details of the property, including who owns it, how it is held, and what charges, restrictions, and other interests affect the title.
• Official copy of the title plan — A map based on Ordnance Survey data that shows the general position and extent of the land included in the title. The property boundaries are shown edged in red.

Both documents can be downloaded from the HM Land Registry online portal for £3 each. They are available instantly and can be ordered by anyone — you do not need to be the owner or a solicitor to obtain them. This makes Land Registry searches one of the cheapest and fastest elements of the entire conveyancing process.

Your solicitor will also complete a title information form that summarises the key details from these documents and sends it to the buyer's solicitor as part of the contract pack.

What the title register contains

The title register is divided into three sections, each covering a different category of information. Understanding these sections helps you anticipate what the buyer's solicitor will scrutinise and what questions they may raise.

Property register (Section A)

This section describes the property itself. It includes the postal address, a reference to the title plan, and a statement of whether the property is freehold or leasehold. It also records any rights that benefit the property, such as rights of way over neighbouring land or rights to use shared driveways, paths, or services.

For leasehold properties, Section A will include the date and term of the lease, the original parties to the lease, and any key provisions such as ground rent. Leasehold sellers should pay particular attention to the remaining lease length, as this can significantly affect the property's value and mortgageability.

Proprietorship register (Section B)

This section records who owns the property and the class of title granted by the Land Registry. The most common class is title absolute, which means the Land Registry is satisfied that the owner has full legal ownership. Other classes include:

• Qualified title — Ownership is registered subject to a specific defect identified at the time of registration.
• Possessory title — Typically granted when the original title deeds were lost or incomplete. The owner's rights may be subject to any adverse claims that existed at the time of registration.
• Good leasehold title — Granted for leasehold titles where the Land Registry was not satisfied that the freeholder had the right to grant the lease.

Section B also records any restrictions on the register. A restriction limits how the property can be dealt with — for example, requiring the consent of a lender before the property can be transferred, or requiring the appointment of an additional trustee if one joint owner dies.

Charges register (Section C)

This section records any burdens on the property — legal interests that bind or restrict the owner. The most common entries include:

• Mortgages and charges — Any mortgage secured against the property will appear here. Your solicitor will arrange for your existing mortgage to be discharged (paid off) from the sale proceeds on completion.
• Restrictive covenants — Legally binding promises that restrict how the property can be used. Common examples include covenants not to use the property for business purposes, not to erect fences above a certain height, or not to make alterations without the consent of a management company or freeholder.
• Easements and rights reserved — Rights that other people have over the property, such as a right of way across your land, a right to run services (pipes, cables) under your property, or a right of light.
• Notices and cautions — Entries that protect the interests of third parties, such as a notice protecting a beneficial interest under a trust, or a notice of a chancel repair liability.

As a seller, you should pay close attention to Section C. Restrictive covenants are one of the most frequently queried items inconveyancing enquiries, particularly if you have carried out alterations or changed the use of the property in a way that might breach a covenant.

What the title plan shows

The title plan is a map extract that shows the property's location and extent. The land included in the title is edged in red. It is based on Ordnance Survey mapping and is drawn to a standard scale — usually 1:1250 for urban areas and 1:2500 for rural areas.

It is important to understand what the title plan does not do. Under the Land Registration Act 2002, the title plan shows the general boundary of a property, not the exact legal boundary. This means the red edging indicates the approximate position of the boundary, but it does not determine the precise line on the ground. The exact boundary may need to be established by reference to older deeds, physical features, or agreement between neighbours.

Boundary disputes are one of the more common issues that arise from the title plan. If a buyer's solicitor notices a discrepancy between the title plan and what appears on the ground — for example, a fence or wall in a different position from the red edging — they will raise enquiries. Sellers should be prepared to address boundary questions, ideally by completing the relevant sections of the TA6 form thoroughly. For more on boundaries, see our guide to the full range of property searches that cover this area.

Land Registry search results: what they mean for sellers

The following table summarises the key items the buyer's solicitor will look for in the Land Registry search results and how each one can affect your sale:

The pre-completion priority search (OS1)

In addition to the initial title search, the buyer's solicitor carries out a pre-completion priority search — known as an OS1 — shortly before completion. This is a critical step in the transfer of ownership process.

The OS1 search confirms the current state of the title register at the date of the search and gives the buyer a 30-working-day priority period. During this window, any application to register the buyer as the new owner will take priority over any other registration. This protects the buyer from the risk that another charge or transfer could be registered against the property between exchange and registration.

The OS1 costs £2 and is returned electronically on the same day. If it reveals any new entries on the register that were not present at the time of the initial search — for example, a new charge or a caution — the buyer's solicitor will investigate before proceeding to completion.

As a seller, you should not take out any new charges, loans, or financial products secured against the property after accepting an offer. Any unexpected entries on the OS1 can delay or derail completion.

Common title issues and how to resolve them

Most Land Registry searches proceed without major issues, but it is not unusual for the buyer's solicitor to raise queries about what they find on the register. Here are the issues that arise most frequently and how they are typically resolved:

Old charges that were never removed

It is surprisingly common for a mortgage or charge to remain on the register long after the debt has been repaid. This happens when the lender fails to submit the discharge documentation (form DS1) to the Land Registry after the mortgage was paid off. If this applies to your property, your solicitor can contact the former lender to obtain the missing discharge form and apply to have the entry removed.

Restrictive covenant breaches

If you have carried out building work, changed the use of the property, or done anything else that might breach a restrictive covenant in Section C, the buyer's solicitor will raise this. The most common resolution is indemnity insurance, which protects the buyer against the risk that the person entitled to enforce the covenant might take action. Indemnity insurance is relatively inexpensive and is accepted by most mortgage lenders.

Missing easements

If the property relies on access, services, or drainage that crosses neighbouring land, but no formal easement is recorded on the title, this can be a concern for the buyer. In some cases, a prescriptive easement may have arisen through long use, but proving this can be difficult. Your solicitor may recommend indemnity insurance or, if possible, obtaining a formal grant of easement from the neighbour.

Discrepancies between the title plan and the physical boundaries

Because the title plan shows general boundaries rather than exact legal boundaries, minor discrepancies between the plan and the position of fences, walls, or hedges on the ground are common. If the discrepancy is minor and consistent with normal tolerances, the buyer's solicitor will usually accept it. Significant discrepancies — particularly those suggesting land has been encroached upon or given away — may require further investigation or indemnity insurance.

Checking your own title before selling

One of the simplest steps you can take to prepare for a sale is to download your own title register and title plan from HM Land Registry before you instruct a solicitor. This allows you to:

• Verify that your name and address are correctly recorded on the register
• Check whether any old charges or mortgages need to be removed
• Review any restrictive covenants and consider whether you may have breached them
• Confirm the extent of the property shown on the title plan matches what you believe you own
• Identify any restrictions that your solicitor will need to deal with on completion

You can order official copies from the HM Land Registry online portal at gov.uk/search-property-information-land-registry for £3 per document. You will need to search by address or postcode to find your title number.

Reviewing these documents early gives you a head start and means your solicitor can begin addressing any issues from day one. Combined with completing your property information forms and ordering searches upfront, this is one of the most effective ways to reduce delays in the conveyancing process. For a full guide to what you can prepare as a seller, see our guide to property certificate packs.

Land Registry search vs other property searches

The Land Registry search is one of several searches carried out during conveyancing. It is important to understand how it fits alongside the others, because each search covers different ground and draws on different data sources.

The Land Registry search tells the buyer about the legal status of the property — who owns it and what rights and burdens attach to it. The local authority search tells the buyer about the planning and regulatory context — what the council knows about the property and the surrounding area. The environmental and drainage searches cover physical and infrastructure risks. Together, they give the buyer a comprehensive picture before they commit to the purchase.

For a detailed breakdown of what each search costs and how long it takes, see our guide on how long property searches take.

Unregistered land: what to do if your property is not registered

Approximately 12% of land in England and Wales remains unregistered with HM Land Registry. This is most common with properties that have not changed hands since compulsory registration was introduced in their area — some areas have required registration since the 1990s, while others have required it since as early as 1899.

If your property is unregistered, there will be no title register or title plan to search. Instead, ownership is proved by the original title deeds — physical documents held by you, your solicitor, or your mortgage lender. These deeds typically include the conveyance or transfer that transferred the property to you, any previous conveyances in the chain of ownership, and any documents creating easements, covenants, or other interests.

When you sell an unregistered property, the buyer must apply for first registration with HM Land Registry after completion. This is a legal requirement under the Land Registration Act 2002. The application must be submitted within two months of completion, or the legal title reverts to the seller and the buyer holds only an equitable interest.

If your property is unregistered, it is particularly important to locate and organise your title deeds well before you put the property on the market. Missing deeds can cause significant delays and may require your solicitor to apply for first registration based on statutory declarations and other supporting evidence.

Sources and further reading

• HM Land Registry — Search property information and download official copies of title documents: gov.uk/search-property-information-land-registry
• Land Registration Act 2002 — The primary legislation governing land registration in England and Wales: legislation.gov.uk
• HM Land Registry Practice Guide 63 — Searches of the index map and official copies: gov.uk/government/publications/official-copies-of-register-entries
• HM Land Registry Practice Guide 4 — Searches and pre-completion searches (OS1): gov.uk/government/publications/pre-completion-searches
• Law Society — Conveyancing Protocol and guidance on title investigation: lawsociety.org.uk
• HM Land Registry — How to apply for first registration of unregistered land: gov.uk/government/publications/first-registration-application
• GOV.UK — Land Registry annual report and data on registered titles: gov.uk/government/organisations/land-registry

Frequently asked questions