What Is a Title Plan? Complete Guide for UK Property Owners

Ordnance Survey maps form the foundation of title plans.

These are very accurate maps showing buildings, roads, and land. They show how everything looked when the plan was made.

The map helps you find your property in the real world.

Red lines show what land belongs to you.

This is the most important part of the plan. Everything inside the red line is your property.

The line tries to follow walls, fences, or other things you can see.

Different colours show different rights on your land.

Blue often means someone can walk across part of your land. Green might show land you can use but don’t own.

Yellow usually means there are rules about what you can build.

Every property has its own special code number.

This number links your map to your property documents. It helps prove the land is officially yours.

You’ll need this number when selling your house later.

The plan shows which way is north and how big things really are.

A scale bar helps you measure real distances. Most plans show that 1 centimetre on the map equals about 12.5 meters in real life.

This helps you understand the true size of your land.

Special paths and access rights appear as distinct markings.

Public footpaths show as dotted lines across land. Blue lines often mean neighbours can use parts of your property.

These rights affect how you can use your land.

Important landmarks help identify boundaries.

The plan shows buildings, roads, and rivers. These help you understand exactly where your property sits.

Some plans use T-marks to show who must fix which fences.

For more information, you can visit the government’s land information service to learn about property records or check why your house isn’t selling if you’re having trouble with a property sale.

You can get your title plan from HM Land Registry.

This government office keeps records of who owns land in England and Wales. Only they can give you official copies that courts and others will accept.

Anyone can request someone else’s title plan, too. These are public documents that anyone can see.

Ordering online is quickest and easiest.

The gov.uk website lets you search and buy title plans right away. You’ll need a credit or debit card to pay.

Postal applications take longer.

You need to fill in form OC1 and send it with the payment. This might take 2 weeks longer than ordering online.

A title plan costs £3 when ordered online.

This is much cheaper than it used to be. Postal applications cost more – usually £7 for the same document.

You pay per title number, not per property.

Some houses have more than one title number, so you might need to buy several plans.

Online orders arrive in your email within minutes.

Most digital title plans come through very quickly. You get a PDF file you can print at home.

Postal applications take 1-2 weeks.

If you order by post, paper copies are sent to your home address. This is much slower than the online service.

You need either your address or title number.

The online search works with just your postcode and house number. Knowing your title number makes things even easier.

The search might show several matches.

This happens when properties have been split up or have complicated ownership. Pick the one that matches your address.

Title plans come as PDF files or paper copies.

Online orders give you a digital PDF file. This can be saved, printed, or emailed to others like your solicitor.

Paper copies look exactly the same as digital ones.

Both versions are equally official and legally valid. The only difference is how you receive them.

The Land Registry portal offers more features for regular users.

Solicitors and property professionals use this service. It offers more detail and cheaper prices for bulk orders.

Regular homeowners usually just need the basic service.

The simple GOV.UK search works fine for most people. Before buying a home, you might also need local authority searches, which show planning issues affecting the property.

Title plans are checked carefully when houses are bought and sold.

Buyers look at these plans to see exactly what land they’re getting. The red line shows the property boundaries that will become theirs.

The plan helps spot problems early in the process. This can save time and prevent sales from falling through later.

Lawyers use title plans to check for problems.

They look for rights of way, restrictions, and boundary issues. Your solicitor will explain what the different colored markings mean for you.

They compare the plan against what exists in real life. Understanding the full conveyancing process when selling helps you know when title plans are used.

Title plans help when asking permission to build things.

The council needs to know you own the land you want to build on. Your title plan is proof of what land belongs to you.

Without a clear title plan, planning applications often get rejected.

Title plans help solve arguments about where boundaries lie.

When neighbours disagree about fences or walls, the title plan is checked first. It shows the general line of the boundary.

But title plans aren’t always exact enough to solve all disputes. The red line is often a “general boundary” that doesn’t show every detail.

The plan shows where people can walk across your land.

Blue markings often show paths others can use. These are called “rights of way”, and you cannot block them.

Other colored markings show where pipes or cables might run. You need to allow access for repairs to these.

Title plans don’t always settle disputes completely.

The boundaries shown are often general, not exact to the centimetre. Small details like exactly where a fence should go might not be clear.

Sometimes courts need more evidence beyond just the title plan.

For serious disputes, extra proof beyond the title plan helps.

Old photos showing where fences were for many years can be important. Statements from previous owners or neighbours sometimes help too.

Professional surveyors might need to measure boundaries exactly. They create more detailed plans than the Land Registry’s title plans.

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This quick process is perfect if you need to move soon or want to avoid being stuck in a long chain of buyers and sellers. We have the cash on hand so don’t need to wait for mortgages or a chain to collapse. 

Did you know 1 in 3 sales fall through on the open market?

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