General Boundaries
🗺️ Every registered property in England and Wales will have a title plan. Unless otherwise stated, the HM Land Registry plan shows “general” boundaries pursuant to Section 60(1)(2) of the Land Registration Act 2002.
✅ Only if a boundary agreement is in place, or the boundary line has been determined by a court or HM Land Registry, will a boundary be accurate. Most registered title plans show general boundaries — an approximation of a property’s extent rather than a precise delineation.
🔍 What Are General Boundaries?
They show an indicative area only — the red line on title plans doesn’t guarantee legal boundary positions.
⚖️ When Are Boundaries Precise?
When a boundary has been formally agreed, determined by court, or updated via application.
⚠️ Although most HM Land Registry title plans are not exact, they are still relied upon during property transactions. This can lead to challenges when selling properties that don’t reflect their plan accurately.
📌 An Example of a Case of Ours
Hannah has acted for homeowners who were unable to sell their properties due to title plans that didn’t reflect the property’s actual extent.
- 📄 A leasehold plan did not match the freehold — historical documents were used to correct it.
- 📐 A boundary agreement was registered to adjust a property line, resolving a 50-year-old discrepancy.
The case of Clapham v Narga [2024] EWCA Civ 1388 reminds buyers: don’t just rely on title plans — conduct thorough boundary enquiries.
📘 Unless a boundary is determined, it falls under the general boundary rule. There’s no required closeness between the red line on the plan and the actual legal boundary — and no limit to how much land this rule might affect.