Head Office of UK Land Registry at Trafalgar House, Bedford Park, Croydon, Greater London (Google Earth)
There’s no single public database in England, where you can find everything you want to know about a property. However, you can usually discover who owns the house next door through HM Land Registry. Here’s how to go about it:
Finding Out Who Owns Next Door
- Visit the HM Land Registry website. This is the best place to look.
- Search for the property by address. Enter the house number and postcode.
- If the property is registered, as most are, download the Title Register for £3.
The Title Register should contain the name(s) of the owner(s) of the property, when they bought it, any mortgage lender involved, and legal fundamentals concerning the property itself.
Example of a Title Register (HM Land Registry)
You also have the option of downloading the Title Plan for another £3. This shows the property’s location and general boundaries too.
If your search does not turn up results, then there is a chance the property has not changed hands for a long time. Visit the Historic Register of Deeds and see what you can find.
Discover More About Your Neighbour
You now know how to find out who owns the house next door. But there’s more useful information you can find, if you do more research step by step. It’s time to do a detailed search:
Visit the official Land Registry website. Find the page named “Search for Property Information”, with boxes to enter a postcode and address. Insert the address of the house next door. Type in the postcode too. Click Search. A list of addresses will appear. Choose the one you are looking for.
Land Register Search Page (Image UK Land Registry)
You’ll see two main options for your neighbour’s property, but you only pay for what you need.
- Get the Title Register for a £3 fee. This report tells you who owns the house next door, as well as the purchase date and any mortgage details.
- Get the Title Plan for another £3 fee. This drawing shows your neighbour’s property, including the boundaries and the exact land size.
Learn More About Who Owns Next Door
Read the Title Register Carefully
The PDF document should provide the following information:
- Section A (Property Register): Details of the property at the time it last changed hands.
- Section B (Proprietorship Register): The owner’s name and address, and when they bought it.
- Section C (Charges Register): Any mortgages on the property, or restrictions to its use.
Working Example of a Property Plan
If you were to lay your hands on a plan of your neighbour’s property, then you might get something like the drawing below. However, this will not help you in your search, because it does not show the property in context, or its position relating to your own land. You need more than this:
You should receive more than just a drawing from the UK Land Registry for your payment(s), depending on what information the registry has on file. Keep your eye out for the following – there could be overlaps between these three sections:
Section A – Property Register
A description of the property that highlights whether it’s freehold or leasehold, and any references to the title plan. There may be rights & exceptions, such as rights of way, easements, or exceptions for mines and minerals.
Section B – Proprietorship Register
The registered owner(s) details, such as their name(s) and contact address(s), as well as the date of ownership, and perhaps the price paid too. Keep an eye out for the Title Class, which may be absolute, possession, or qualified. Remember to look for details of any mortgages over the property.
Section C – Charges Register
This section of the register provides information concerning mortgages, or financial burdens over the property. It is also the best place to search for legal covenants, rights of way, and other restrictions that may affect how your neighbour may use their land.
You Know Who Owns Next Door. What’s Next?
Let’s imagine for a moment that you purchased a house with an empty stand next door. You have reason to suspect that the boundary fence is five feet into your property.
Your search of the property register has already revealed who owns the empty piece of property, their address, the date of purchase, and perhaps the purchase price. Here’s an example of a schematic illustration, highlighting the official boundary line in red.
Schematic Highlighting The Red Boundary Line ( HM Land Registry)
Perhaps something still does not look right at this stage of your investigation. Unfortunately this is about as far as you can go, without the help of a land surveyor.
Another important thing to remember is that Title Plans are not legally binding. Boundaries are approximate, and may not align precisely with physical features like hedges and walls, especially if the plans are old.
This may be as far as your research can take you. Unless you are a surveyor with a theodolite measuring instrument, you might need an expert to peg your property boundaries.
A Plan With Coloured Tints and Highlights ( Sample Provided By UK Land Registry)
When You Need More Help With Your Project
A qualified RICS surveyor is a property professional, who is also a current member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). This is an internationally recognised professional body, based in Croydon, Greater London.
Their surveyors are highly trained and regulated experts, who specialise in land, property, construction, and infrastructure. What’s more, they follow strict standards of professionalism, and ethics and competency too.
Would you like to explore using a RICS surveyor to peg your property boundaries, and perhaps more? Avery Associates arranges RICS inspections throughout Greater London and beyond. Give us a call now. Our quote may be less than you expect, and you will be under no obligation.
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