Guidance

How to read a title register

Published 4 November 2021

Applies to England and Wales

You’ve got a copy of your property title plan and register, but what does it all mean?

Your property

When we register a property, we give it a unique reference called a title number and prepare both a register and, in most cases, a title plan.

The register shows important information about the property, such as the names of the legal owners and whether there are any mortgages, rights of way or other legal matters that affect it.

It also includes a description of the property - usually the postal address - and whether it’s held for a specific period of time under a lease (leasehold) or owned outright (freehold).

Generally, you need to read the title register and plan together, but for our purposes here, we’ll focus on the register.

Find out how to download and read a title plan.

The register

As long as the land or property is in England or Wales and is registered, you can:

• download a title register
• apply for an official copy using form OC1 (costs £7 per document)

Whether you download an extract of the register or apply for an official copy, you can rely on it to show the state of the register at the date and time shown. If there are changes waiting to be made to the register, your copy will be backdated to the time immediately before the first change was applied for.

See an example of an official copy of a title register.

An example of a downloaded title register.

Three parts

Most title registers are split into 3 parts:

• A - property
• B - proprietorship
• C - charges

Some also have schedules, where further details about some of the entries are set out. The actual detail varies for every property.

You should consult your legal adviser if you’re not sure about anything in the register. Remember, we cannot give you legal advice.

The property (A) register

The A register provides:

• a brief description of the property, including whether it is freehold or leasehold and that it is shown on its associated title plan
• any rights it might benefit from, such as a private right of way

If the property is leasehold, the register will also show brief details of the lease, such as the date, the parties involved and how long it is for.

The A register might contain other entries such as:

A reference to other property that doesn’t form part of the registered title, for instance the mines and minerals that are underneath it:

(13.10.2003) The mines and minerals are excepted.

A reference to light or air and/or boundary structures:

(13.10.2003) The Conveyance dated 19 October 1959 referred to in the Charges Register contains the following provision:

AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION that the Purchaser should not be entitled to any right of light or air to the said land thereby conveyed. Also that the boundary fences be jointly maintained by the parties.

A reference to land that is no longer included in the title:

(13.10.2003) The land edged and numbered in green on the title plan has been removed from this title and registered under the title number or numbers shown in green on the said plan.

The proprietorship (B) register

The B register shows:

• the class of the title
• the names of the current registered owners and the addresses we use to contact them
• (sometimes) how much they paid for it or an indication of its value on a stated date
• any restrictions – these are entries that limit the owner’s power to deal with the property, for example, to stop them selling or securing a loan without their mortgage lender’s consent

Classes of title

When we receive an application to register land for the first time, we investigate the title deeds and other information the applicant provides. If this evidence establishes the applicant’s ownership we will register them with a class of title, depending on whether the property is freehold or leasehold.

The best and most common classes are absolute freehold and absolute leasehold title, but in some cases we will give a more limited class of title. If you’re unsure about the class of title stated in your register or what it means, you should consult your legal adviser.

Restrictions

Restrictions stop HM Land Registry completing the registration of certain transactions, such as transfers, leases or mortgages, unless the conditions specified in the restriction are met.

Their purpose is usually to make sure that specific legal requirements are complied with.

For instance, a restriction might require a certificate of compliance with the terms of a previous transfer or other document, or the consent of someone other than the registered proprietor.

Common restrictions

These are some common restrictions you might see in your register:

(13.02.2019) Restriction: No disposition by a sole proprietor of the registered estate (except a trust corporation) under which capital money arises is to be registered unless authorised by an order of the court.

This is the most common restriction, entered when the owners are trustees. It limits what one proprietor can do on their own.

(20.02.2002) Restriction: No disposition of the registered estate by the proprietor of the registered estate is to be registered without a certificate signed by a conveyancer that that conveyancer is satisfied that the person who executed the document submitted for registration as disponor is the same person as the proprietor.

This restriction helps to guard against fraud.

(17.10.2018) Restriction: No disposition of the registered estate by the proprietor of the registered estate is to be registered without a certificate signed by A Named Company PLC that the provisions of clause 22 of the Fourth Schedule of the registered Lease have been complied with.

You’ll often see this where a management company is appointed to provide certain shared services.

(05.11.2012) Restriction: No Transfer of the registered estate by the proprietor of the registered estate is to be registered without a written consent signed by AN Other of 14 Any Road, Anytown AN1 1 AA or their conveyancer.

Here you’ll need the written consent of the named person or company to register a transfer. You do not need the consent to register a lease or a mortgage.

The charges (C) register

Here’s where you’ll usually find details of certain ‘burdens’ affecting the land. Not all registers have a C register.

Information in the charges register might include:

• mortgages (sometimes referred to as registered charges) and other financial charges that are secured on the property. The register probably won’t show the amount of money involved
• other rights or interests that limit how the land or property can be used, such as rights of way for others to cross the property or restrictive covenants
• tenancies that affect all or part of the property. These may be listed individually or as part of a schedule of leases

Get information about land and property

Read our guide on how to get information about property and land.