The Explainer: a guide to HM Land Registry

When buying property or land, it is important you access the information held on HM Land Registry. But what is it? How do you access it? And what does the information on there tell you?

What is HM Land Registry?

HM Land Registry is a national website for land and property in England and Wales. The registry started collecting information from 1862 but it wasn’t until 1990 that it was made compulsory to register your land or property after a sale. 85% of land in England and Wales is currently registered with the Land Registry and the aim is to achieve 100% by 2030.

For a small fee (£7 as of 2026) you can access information about a property or a piece of land. And for free, you can get summary information on:

the address of the land or property
the property description
tenure type
the price it was last sold for.

If the land or property IS registered and you pay £7 (per document), you can download the following records:

Title Register

The title register will show:

the legal owner of the land
the title number of the property
details of any mortgage
the price it was sold for (if it was sold after 2000)
any rights of way
other legal matters that affect the property or land.

You do not need the owner’s consent, nor will the owner know if you have obtained the title register.

Title register, Land Registry

Title Plan

When land is registered, a title plan is usually created. A title plan is a visual representation of a property’s boundaries. It shows the property’s location in relation to other features, like buildings, roads, fences or any other physical features.

Title plan. Land Registry

Top tip

Always use the HM Land Registry official website for information. There are competitors, but the government website offers the most up-to-date and reliable information, and is frequently the cheapest. Look for the Gov.UK logo when searching online.