How to check property boundaries before buying a house

HM Land Registry's property information service provides a property summary, title register and title plan for registered land in England and Wales. They serve different purposes. The register can identify rights and restrictions, or point to another document containing the detail. The plan helps locate the land and shows general boundaries. Ask your conveyancer which titles and documents form the purchase you are considering.

Match the address and title number before drawing conclusions. A garage, parking space or additional strip of garden may need its own question; do not assume that everything photographed in the listing is included in one title. Make a small document index recording the title number, document name, date obtained and the question it helps answer. Leave anything you cannot match clearly marked as unresolved.

Source: GOV.UK: search for land and property information

Most title plans show general boundaries rather than the exact legal line between neighbouring properties. GOV.UK also explains that there is usually no record identifying who owns the fence, wall or hedge between two homes. Treat the plan as a starting point for questions, not a precise survey of a fence post or the width of a narrow passage.

Avoid enlarging a downloaded plan and measuring from its red edging to settle a small discrepancy. HM Land Registry specifically warns against using scaled measurements from a title plan to locate the legal boundary. A convincing-looking digital overlay is still only a comparison of information with limitations. If a particular strip of land matters to your purchase, explain why to your conveyancer and ask what further evidence or professional input is appropriate.

Source: GOV.UK: your property boundaries · HM Land Registry: how to read a title plan

At a viewing, look from places you have permission to access and note visible features such as gates, hedges, walls and paths. A physical feature need not sit exactly on the legal boundary. The purpose of looking is to identify points to investigate, rather than certify the plan or decide that a neighbour has taken land. Ask permission before photographing private areas.

Use a consistent route around the home so you do not miss the less attractive side passage or the area behind an outbuilding. Write down which areas you could not see. Ask the seller about the extent they understand to be included, any changes to boundary features and any agreements they can supply. Keep their explanation separate from a verified document and pass material differences to your conveyancer.

• Compare the advertised garden, parking and outbuildings with the documents supplied.
• Note gates, shared paths and entrances that need an access enquiry.
• Record inaccessible edges and ask how they can be checked.
• Ask for documents supporting an explanation about a changed fence or boundary.

Source: HM Land Registry: boundaries and boundary disputes

Being able to walk down a path during a viewing does not answer the legal questions about using it after purchase. The title register may describe easements, such as rights of way, or refer to documents that contain their details. Ask your conveyancer to explain the relevant wording and what it means for the way you intend to use the home, garden or parking space.

Create separate questions for who owns an area, who may use it and what maintenance arrangements apply. For example, ask whether bins can be taken along a side route and which document supports the answer. Avoid accepting a broad statement that an alley is shared as an answer to every question. Record the practical use that matters to you so the enquiry is specific rather than a general request for reassurance.

Source: GOV.UK: search for land and property information

Imagine a hypothetical viewing where a garden extends behind a garage and a gate opens onto a rear path. A listing photograph suggests that all the space belongs to the house, while the plan you have received is difficult to interpret. That comparison alone cannot establish a title error, ownership of the extra space or a right to use the path. Keep those as three questions rather than combine them into one conclusion.

Save the listing, mark the area you mean on a copy for discussion and tell your conveyancer what you observed. Ask whether there are additional titles or relevant documents to review and whether specialist inspection or advice is needed. Give the seller a clear description of the area when requesting information. Do not move a feature, challenge a neighbour or commission boundary changes on the strength of your own map interpretation.

Source: HM Land Registry: how to read a title plan · HM Land Registry: boundaries and boundary disputes

Arrange your notes under observation, seller's explanation, documentary evidence and next action. A missing answer should remain visible until you understand the implications with your conveyancer. If you learn of a disagreement, ask for the relevant information to be considered in the purchase process. A general online guide cannot determine which party is right or decide what action you should take in a particular dispute.

Use public property research to prepare better questions, then get the appropriate professional to assess the legal or measurement issue. A SashMark report does not establish legal boundaries, ownership of a fence or a right of way. Keep any survey recommendation separate from a legal enquiry and make sure the people advising you have the same documents. The useful outcome is a clear account of what remains uncertain, rather than an automatic boundary pass for the house.

Source: HM Land Registry: boundaries and boundary disputes · GOV.UK: conveyancing and transferring ownership

This guide combines practical research suggestions with the source services and professional guidance below. It is general information; property-specific survey, valuation and legal questions need the appropriate professional. Check the linked source for current boundaries and requirements.

• GOV.UK: search for land and property information
• GOV.UK: your property boundaries
• HM Land Registry: how to read a title plan
• HM Land Registry: boundaries and boundary disputes
• GOV.UK: conveyancing and transferring ownership

Read how SashMark handles sources, matching and missing evidence.