Joint statement with Ordnance Survey

Land Registry and Ordnance Survey work in very close partnership with each other. By using Ordnance Survey mapping, this allows Land Registry to cross-reference and associate their boundary information with Ordnance Survey topographic maps. This forms the basis of all Land Registry title plans.

Ordnance Survey and Land Registry have put together the information below to help customers understand their different roles.

• Frequently asked questions

Land Registry's Role

Land Registry will show the extent of the land in a registered title by a red line on the title plan. Where a boundary of the land is not defined by a physical feature on the Ordnance Survey map, Land Registry indicates it on the title plan by a dotted line. The word "boundary" has no special meaning in law but in land ownership it is understood in two ways:

The Physical Boundary

A registered title almost never shows ownership of individual boundary structures such as walls, fences and hedges. There may, however, be some relevant information on the register or in Land Registry's files. For example, Land Registry may have kept a copy of a deed that refers to a boundary declaration or agreement, or to the ownership or maintenance of boundaries. Please note that, deeds rarely deal with such matters. If ownership or maintenance is important to you, you may, for example, need to talk to neighbours and/or previous owners. Ordnance Survey cannot provide information on either property extent or land ownership.

The Legal Boundary

A legal boundary deals with the precise separation of ownership of land. It is an invisible line dividing one person's land from another's. It does not have thickness or width and usually, but not always, falls somewhere in or along a physical boundary feature such as a wall, fence or hedge. The exact positions of the legal boundaries are almost never shown on registered title plans and are not shown on Ordnance Survey maps.

General Boundaries

England and Wales operates a 'general boundaries' system of land registration. A title plan with 'general boundaries' shows the boundary of a property in relation to a given physical feature on the ground such as a wall or hedge as identified on the Ordnance Survey map.

The red edging on a Land Registry title plan is therefore not definitive as to the precise position of the boundaries. For this reason official copies of title plans carry the following warning.

This title plan shows the general position of the boundaries: it does not show the exact line of the boundaries. Measurements scaled from this plan may not match measurements between the same points on the ground.

This is a clear statement that Land Registry is unable to tell you precisely where a property boundary is located.

Questions about land registration

Land Registry publishes a number of public guides about land registration which can be viewed or downloaded from this website or obtained free of charge from any Land Registry office. The website also has a 'frequently asked questions' section. For more information about Land Registry plans please see Land Registry's Public Guide 19 - Title plans and boundaries. If you need to contact Land Registry about a registered title but do not know which office to contact then use our officer finder to locate our offices and the areas for which they are responsible.

Ordnance Survey's Role

Ordnance Survey is the national mapping agency of Great Britain. It is the government department responsible for the official, definitive surveying and topographic mapping of Great Britain.

As Ordnance Survey maps are topographic maps, they only show the physical features on the ground at the time of survey. The features shown must fall within the specification for the survey scale and within the published accuracy tolerances.

Ordnance Survey maps never show legal property boundaries, nor do they show ownership of physical features. Although some property boundaries may be coincident with surveyed map features, no assumptions should be made in these instances and consequently it is not possible to be sure of the position of a legal property boundary from an Ordnance Survey map.

Land Registry uses Ordnance Survey mapping to provide a representation of where a property's boundaries are located.

For example; if no physical feature (such as a wall, fence) exists on the ground to separate two gardens, nothing will be shown on Ordnance Survey mapping. However, in order for a boundary to be represented on a Title Plan, Land Registry will indicate extent of the property with a red line. Land Registry will show the extent of the land in a registered title by a red line on the title plan. Where a boundary of the land is not defined by a physical feature on the Ordnance Survey map, Land Registry indicates it on the title plan by a dotted line.

A red line on a title plan drawn by Land Registry does not mean that a dividing feature exists on the ground. Similarly the absence of a dividing feature on the Ordnance Survey mapping does not mean that information is missing from the Ordnance Survey map or that the title plan supplied by Land Registry is incorrect.

Remember that the title plan only shows the features that existed at the time the property was surveyed. Fencing removed or added later will not be shown.

Ordnance Survey has a continuous mapping revision programme for the whole of Great Britain. Changes that have occurred on the ground since the property was registered may result in differences between later Ordnance Survey map editions and the mapping used by Land Registry for the Title Plan.

Contact Ordnance Survey

Ordnance Survey is unable to answer questions regarding legal property boundaries or interpret the mapping in your title plan. However, if you have questions regarding their mapping you can e-mail them at customerservices@ordnancesurvey.co.uk, call their helpline on 08456 05 05 05, or write to them at:

Customer Service Centre
Ordnance Survey
Romsey Road
Southampton
SO16 4GU

 Frequently asked questions

1. Can an Ordnance Survey map tell me where my legal boundary is?
2. Does a Land Registry plan show my exact legal boundary?
3. Can I measure my legal boundary precisely from the map?
4. What feature does the line on the map represent?
5. There is a fence and a wall next to each other and only one line is shown on the map, why is this?
6. The mapping in my title deeds is incorrect, what do I do?
7. Ordnance Survey’s mapping of my property is incorrect, can I arrange for a surveyor to come out and amend the mapping?
8. My property/land is unregistered, what do I do?
9. I feel that a feature is incorrectly shown on your mapping; can you tell me why it is represented this way?
10. I require an Expert Witness to comment on the mapping, does Ordnance Survey offer this service?
11. What does the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) do?

1.  Can an Ordnance Survey map tell me where my legal boundary is?

No. Ordnance Survey mapping does not depict legal property boundaries nor do we attempt to show property ownership on our mapping.

We only show the existence of physical features on the ground at the time of survey, which are surveyed to Ordnance Survey specification and published accuracy standards. Although some property boundaries may be coincident with surveyed map features, no assumptions should be made in these instances.

Physical features on the ground change over time, and for this reason, Ordnance Survey has a continuous mapping revision programme.  In the event that there are changes to the physical features on the ground, this may involve our surveyors visiting your property so that the mapping can be updated and amended.  However, such revision will not affect legal land ownership and title deeds of a property and a registered title will not change unless authorised by Land Registry.

2.  Does a Land Registry plan show my exact legal boundary?

The title plan will not establish precisely where or on which side of a mapped physical feature the legal boundary lies.  A Title Plan with "general boundaries" shows the boundary of a property in relation to a physical feature on the ground such as a wall or hedge as identified on the Ordnance Survey map.  Your title plan will not therefore establish the precise position of your legal boundary.

For this reason, official copies of title plans carry the following warning:

This title plan shows the general position of the boundaries: it does not show the exact line of the boundaries. Measurements scaled from this plan may not match measurements between the same points on the ground.

3.  Can I measure my legal boundary precisely from the map?

You should not rely on the Title Plan to scale any measurements that might be stated in your Title Deeds.  Paper maps (particularly copy maps included in deeds) can be subject to distortions and inaccuracies, as any copying processes (such as photocopying) can lead to the distortions in the map image.

For further information about Land Registry title plans, please see Public Guide 19 and Practice Guide 40.

4.  What feature does the line on the map represent?

Ordnance Survey maps use the same line symbol for a wall, fence, hedge, bank, ditch and stream.  If there are several features in close proximity it may not be possible to represent them all at the scale of the mapping and it may not be obvious from the map which feature the line represents.

Even if a correct interpretation of the map can be made, the general boundaries rule means that the line on the map may not be the legal boundary.  It is the position of the actual feature on the ground, not the position of the line on the map that is important in attempting to trace the position of the boundary.

Accurate analysis of the map can usually only be achieved by taking the map onto the site and comparing it with the features on the ground.  This can help decide what has been shown, what has been omitted for the sake of clarity or because the map scale does not allow multiple features in close proximity to be shown.

5.  There is a fence and a wall next to each other and only one line is shown on the map, why is this?

Where a fence, hedge or wall runs approximately parallel to another feature and so close that they cannot both be plotted correctly at the scale of survey, then only one feature is shown.  Please see page 110 of the Ordnance Survey’s OS MasterMap Topographic layer User Guide;

6.  The mapping in my title is incorrect, what do I do?

If you feel that mapping of your registered title is incorrect, we recommend that you contact Land Registry at the earliest stage to establish if they can assist.  Please also refer to Land Registry's Public Guide 19.

7.  Ordnance Survey's mapping of my property is incorrect, can I arrange for a surveyor to come out and amend the mapping?

Ordnance Survey welcomes all customer feedback about the content and accuracy of our mapping.  We understand that sometimes there may be a delay between changes taking place on the ground and the time when we are able to capture them.  We have a continuous mapping revision programme, and issues with the content or accuracy of our mapping that fall within our specification, will normally be investigated at the next revision of the mapping for the area.

However, should you feel that these changes/amendments may affect your title plan; you need to contact Land Registry at the earliest opportunity.

8.  How do I find out if my property is registered?

Land Registry keeps a computerisedmap based on the Ordnance Survey map.  This map (the 'index map') provides an index of the land in the title for the vast majority of registrations and pending applications for first registration.  To find out if land is registered you should complete form SIM to apply for an official search of the index map. You can visit Find a Property to view a copy of the details of a registered title.  For more information please see Land Registry’s Public Guide 1 - A guide to the information we keep and how you can obtain it.

The aim of registering title is to provide a safe, simple and economic system of transferring land. Land Registry's Public Guide 8 explains the general characteristics and advantages of the system.  Land Registry's Public Guide 13 - Applications for first registration made by the owner in person explains how to apply to register the title to freehold or leasehold land that is not already registered and is aimed at members of the public.  These public guides can be viewed or downloaded from this website.

9. I feel that a feature is incorrectly shown on your mapping; can you tell me why it is represented this way?

Ordnance Survey does not keep records or surveyors' notes.  The map becomes the only record kept.  We are unable to comment on the detail of specific features shown on the mapping or provide reasons for why or how a feature is shown on the map.

10.  I require an Expert Witness to comment on the mapping, does Ordnance Survey offer this service?

Ordnance Survey is unable to become involved in boundary disputes.  If you need an expert to prepare evidence, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) website (see below) provides a searchable database of Land Surveyors who can act as Expert Witnesses and prepare evidence for court.

11.  What does the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) do?

Its members are professionally qualified surveyors.  RICS includes members who have considerable experience in advising on property disputes. The RICS Dispute Resolution Service (DRS) is the world's largest provider of alternative dispute resolution services.  It offers a complete range of methods for resolving disputes including:

• arbitration;
• expert determination;
• mediation;
• adjudication; and
• Expert witness.

For their contact details, please visit their website at www.rics.org for more information.