Archive Website of the UK government

Where to find land and property information

You can get information about land and property in England and Wales from Land Registry, which keeps records of ownership rights for:

• freehold properties
  
• leasehold properties where the lease is for more than seven years

In Scotland, Registers of Scotland keeps details of land and property ownership.

• Land Registry Opens new window

• Scotland's National Land and Property Registers Opens new window

Getting property information from Land Registry

Land Registry provides the following information for properties in England and Wales:

• a title plan
• a title register
  
• a Flood Risk Indicator result (the risk of flood for a property)

What is a title plan?

A title plan is a drawing showing the location of the property and the area it covers. It won’t show who owns features, like walls, that may form part of the boundary of the property.

• What is a title plan? Opens new window

• Land Registry guide to title plans and boundaries Opens new window

What is a title register?

A title register, or ‘register’, contains information about the property, including:

• who owns the property
  
• the property price, if sold since 1 April 2023
  
• any restrictions (for example, limitations on how the land can be used) and benefits (for example, rights of way across other land)
  

To find out exactly what’s on a title register, see ‘What you’ll get back from Land Registry’.

• What is a title register? Opens new window

• What you'll get back from Land Registry

Requesting copies of the title register or title plan

You can buy official and unofficial copies of the title plan and register.

Official copies: title register or title plan

To get official copies, you need to apply by post. You can use official copies as evidence in court.

Fill out form OC1 and send it to your local Land Registry office with a cheque or postal order made payable to ‘Land Registry’. The fee is £8 for one document or £16 for both.

• Download form OC1 (PDF, 108K) Opens new window

• Help with PDF files

• Find a Land Registry office Opens new window

Getting a Flood Risk Indicator result

You can download a Flood Risk Indicator result. To do this, use the link 'Find a property: Land Registry'. The fee is £9.

You can also access flood maps for free on the Environment Agency website.

• Find a property: Land Registry Opens new window

• Flood maps from the Environment Agency Opens new window

Rentcharges

If there is a rentcharge (sometimes known as 'rent charge', 'chief rent' or 'ground rent') on your freehold house you may be able to pay a lump sum in order to free yourself from having to pay the charge. These charges are different from the ground rent payable on leasehold properties.

You can find more information on rentcharges on the Department for Communities and Local Government website.

• Rentcharges information on the Department for Communities and Local Government website Opens new window

Finding out about past owners

Find out about previous owners of a property by using form HC1 from Land Registry. The fee is £10 per historical copy.

• Land Registry forms Opens new window

Finding out about land without a postcode

If you don’t have a postcode, you can supply Land Registry with a map or use their ‘Find a property’ tool. Select ‘Map enquiry’, put in a nearby postcode, then navigate to the area of land you’re interested in.

• Find a property: Land Registry Opens new window

Where to send your Land Registry forms

Find out which office to send your forms to.

• Find a Land Registry office Opens new window

Getting information from Registers of Scotland

You can get copies of property ownership information in Scotland from Registers of Scotland. Prices differ from the Land Registry. See ‘Copies and extracts of deed’ for more information.

• Copies and extracts of deeds: Registers of Scotland Opens new window

Updating your details in the land register

Making sure your contact details are up-to-date in the land register can help protect you against property fraud. To do this, see ‘Changing your details in the land register’.

• Changing your details in the land register

• Protecting your property against fraud

Registering land

It’s compulsory to register all land which is bought, sold or mortgaged in England, Wales and Scotland with either:

• Land Registry (for land in England and Wales)
  
• Registers of Scotland (for land in Scotland)

To find out how to register land, and the benefits of doing this, see ‘Registering land or property’.

• Registering land or property

• Land Registry: How do I register my property? Opens new window

Finding the owner of unregistered land

Unregistered land always has an owner, but Land Registry won’t hold their details, so they will be harder to find. You can try looking at the electoral roll or asking people in the area. Specialist companies can also carry out searches for you – look online to find them.

What Land Registry can’t tell you

Land Registry doesn’t keep information about:

• specific land or property prices before 1 April 2023
  
• unregistered land or property
  
• tenancy agreements
  
• exact boundaries
  
• leasehold land if the lease is for seven years or less
  
• leasehold land if the lease was for under 21 years and was registered before 13 October 2023

Contact your local authority to find out about:

• planning permission
  
• compulsory purchase
  
• redevelopment
  
• road charges
  
• public health charges
  
• building lines
  
• tree conservation

• Find your local council Opens new window

House prices: how to find information

For properties in England and Wales, the free House Price Index gives average house prices and number of sales for an area. You can choose any range of months since January 1995.

For properties in Scotland, Scotland’s House Prices shows you the price paid for specific properties. You’ll need to know the approximate date the property was sold. You can also download reports on average house prices.

Various websites give you free access to the sold price of properties. Search online for ‘sold house prices’.

• Search the House Price Index: Land Registry Opens new window

• Scotland’s House Prices Opens new window

• Quarterly housing market statistics for Scotland Opens new window

More useful links

• Land Registers of Northern Ireland Opens new window

• What to do when a land owner dies - guide from Land Registry Opens new window