How to Read a Title Register

Before you start

A title register looks denser than it is. It is a structured document with three sections, numbered entries and a lot of standard wording, so once you know the layout you can read one in a few minutes.

Two things to check before reading the entries. First, the title number at the top — make sure it is the title you expect, since one address can have several. Second, the edition date and the date the copy was produced, which tell you when the register last changed and how current your copy is.

The three sections at a glance

| Section | Question it answers | Typical entries | | --- | --- | --- | | Property register | What land is registered, and what rights come with it? | Description of the land, reference to the title plan, tenure, rights of way benefiting the property | | Proprietorship register | Who owns it, and on what basis? | Owner's name and address, class of title, price paid where recorded, restrictions on the owner's powers | | Charges register | What burdens the property? | Mortgages, restrictive covenants, easements burdening the land, notices |

A numbered walkthrough

1. Confirm the basics in the header. Title number, edition date, and whether the title is freehold or leasehold.
2. Read the property register. It describes the land — usually by address — and refers to the title plan. Look for rights that benefit the property, such as a right of way over a neighbour's drive, and for a lease summary on leasehold titles (date, term and parties).
3. Check the proprietorship register. It names the registered owner or owners and states the class of title, most commonly title absolute. It may record the price paid if that was recorded at registration, and any restrictions on the owner's ability to deal with the property.
4. Work through the charges register. This is where mortgages, restrictive covenants and notices appear. Entries here burden the property rather than benefit it.
5. Note anything the register refers to but does not reproduce. Deeds, transfers and leases mentioned in entries may be available as filed documents if you need the full wording.

Common entries in plain English

• Rights of way. In the property register, a right of way benefits your land — you may use someone else's. In the charges register, it burdens your land — someone else may cross yours.
• Covenant references. An entry saying the land is "subject to the covenants contained in" a dated conveyance means promises about the land's use exist, but the full wording sits in that older document rather than on the register.
• Charges. A "registered charge" entry means a mortgage or secured loan is registered, and a companion entry names the lender. No balance is ever shown.
• Restrictions. A restriction limits what can be registered without a condition being met — for example, requiring a lender's consent to a sale, or a second trustee's signature where owners hold as tenants in common. A restriction is a control on dealings, which is not the same thing as a restrictive covenant.

Reading it with the title plan

The register deliberately leans on the title plan: coloured and hatched references in entries ("the land tinted blue", "the road hatched brown") only make sense with the plan open beside you. If you are checking rights of way, extent or anything geographic, order the two documents together.

Getting a copy

You can order the title register — alone or with the title plan — through our service. We check the address by hand, identify the registered title, contact you if more than one title could match, and deliver the PDF by secure link. As an independent service we charge more than buying directly from HM Land Registry, which usually costs less; our fee covers the manual checking, retrieval and support.

This walkthrough is general information, not legal advice. If an entry affects a purchase or a dispute, ask a conveyancer to review the register itself.