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Common Mistakes to Avoid When Ordering Land Registry Documents

Common Mistakes When Ordering Land Registry Documents

Ordering the wrong document or searching incorrectly wastes time and money. Here are the most common mistakes and how to avoid them.

1. Ordering for the Wrong Title

A single property can have multiple title numbers. A block of flats will have separate leasehold titles for each flat plus a freehold title for the whole building. A house might have a separate title for the garage or garden.

**How to avoid it**: Check the address and tenure type carefully before ordering. If you're looking for the freehold of a flat, look for the freehold title, not the leasehold title for an individual flat.

2. Not Knowing Which Document You Need

The title register and title plan serve different purposes. Ordering a title plan when you need ownership information (or vice versa) means you'll need to order again.

**How to avoid it**: Need to know who owns a property? Get the register. Need to see boundaries? Get the plan. Buying a property or dealing with a legal matter? Get both.

3. Searching by the Wrong Address Format

The Land Registry records addresses as they were when the property was first registered, which may not match the current postal address. Flat numbering, street names, and even postcodes can differ.

**How to avoid it**: Try multiple search approaches. If an address search doesn't work, try a postcode search or just the street name without the house number.

4. Assuming the Register Shows Everything

The title register shows legal ownership and recorded interests. It does not show:

  • Overriding interests (rights that bind even though they're not on the register)
  • Planning permissions or building regulations
  • Physical condition or environmental issues
  • Ongoing disputes or claims not yet registered

    • 5. Using an Outdated Official Copy

    Official copies are snapshots in time. If yours is several months old, the register may have changed. For transactions, most solicitors require a copy less than 6 months old.

    6. Confusing Unregistered and Non-Existent

    If your search returns no results, the property may be unregistered rather than non-existent. About 15% of land in England and Wales is not yet registered.

    7. Ignoring Entries You Don't Understand

    Restrictive covenants, easements, and charges all have practical implications. If you don't understand an entry, ask a solicitor to explain it rather than assuming it doesn't matter.

    Search With Confidence

    Find properties and order the right documents on Online Land Registry.