We provide a range of reports to give sellers, purchasers and lenders more assurance in property transactions.
You should request reports at the earliest possible stage in a transaction.
Our reports can identify any problems with your subjects before you begin the registration process.
This will reduce the likelihood of us rejecting your application.
You can apply for reports through our online portals:
Once your application is complete you’ll be able to view, save and print your report. Please note that this is subject to OS licensing. See our terms and conditions for more information
Plans Reports
A plans report is appropriate when a plot of land is being registered for the first time in the land register. The report reduces the chance of rejection. It identifies conflicting registrations and deficiencies in plans before submission.
Plans reports support applications for first registration. A report over registered subjects may be appropriate in limited circumstances. For example, where parties wish to ensure that the extent of a proposed transfer of part falls entirely within a parent title.
Plans reports are not required for transactions over wholly registered titles.
The decision to request either a level 1, 2 or 3 plans report is dependent upon the quantity of information you wish to receive.
A level 1 report:
- Is a basic competition report
- Confirms whether the submitted plan or description meets our keeper's deed plan criteria
- Provides a list of any cadastral units which conflict with the subjects of the report
The report also provides a list of cadastral units with relevant non-conflicting information from the cadastral map that affects the subjects of the report, such as rights of access and burdens.
This will not be done for a report over registered subjects as these will already be noted in the title sheet.
Note - no plan is created for this report
Cost £65 + VAT
A Level 2 report:
- Provides all the information of a level 1 report
- Advises whether the subjects extent corresponds with the relevant features as defined on the current version of the Ordnance Survey map
- Provides an illustrated extract showing any discrepancies with the OS map
Note - a plan is only created to show overlaps/shortfalls. No competitions are shown on the plan
Cost £80 + VAT
A Level 3 report:
- Provides all the information of a level 1 and level 2 report
- Discloses conflicts with existing cadastral units, including an illustrative print showing the extent of the competition
- Discloses registered shared areas which affect the subjects and provides an illustrative print identifying the affected extent
Cost £95 + VAT
Where the evidence submitted is insufficient for the Keeper to complete a report, a fee equivalent to a Level 1 report will be applied regardless of the level original requested.
Continuation reports
All plans reports come with the option of one free continuation report.
A continuation report provides an update to the original report. It can be ordered any time within 6 months of the initial report.
We only issue one continuation report in respect of each previously issued plans report.
Plans reports - additional information
Extent
To help applications be quickly processed, you should submit a plan or bounding description to compare the area with the OS map.
You should use the additional information field of the application form to specify the extent to be compared.
If there are multiple plans references, you should use this field to specify how the different references relate to the subjects.
If it's more appropriate to provide a copy of a prior deed containing a bounding description, you should use the additional information field to clarify which subjects are to be considered.
The relevant descriptions should be highlighted or otherwise indicated on the copy deed provided.
Reports over Registered Titles
A plans report is not required for subjects already registered in the land register if the existing title shows competition.
Plans reports assist in identifying potential problems with title extent. Here the problem is already known and is evident from the face of the title sheet. A plans report adds no value.
If two registered titles were in competition before the introduction of the 2012 Act, and one title is transacted upon after the introduction of the Act, this will not result in a rejection.
The updated title will continue to reflect the competition.
Digital data
If a request for a level 3 plans report could be considered complex (e.g. over 25 hectares, or an arbitrary shape not following OS features) then digital data may be required to complete the request.
Shape files should be uploaded as part of the request along with any other plans or deeds used to identify the extent. These should be in zip file format and a pdf view will be generated. Learn more about digital data criteria.
Other formats should be forwarded to reports@ros.gov.uk quoting your request number.
You should provide digital data at the time you submit your request where possible.
If no digital data is submitted, we may reduce the report to a level 1 and adjust the fee accordingly.
Servitudes
If your report application includes servitude or ancillary areas, we'll complete a level 1 report for these.
We'll confirm if the plan is suitable for registration and note any registered cadastral units that may be affected by the servitude or ancillary areas.
Please note that the report won't comment on verbally described servitudes. It is the responsibility of the submitting parties to ensure such servitudes meet registration requirements.
Legal Reports
To ensure we can deliver the best statutory services we can to customers, we have revisited some of our non-statutory services.
As there isn't a large demand for our Legal Reports and there is a healthy market of alternative suppliers, we have made the decision to withdraw the legal report and combined legal report service.
Ceasing to provide the Legal and Combined Reports allows RoS to prioritise available resource and skills onto delivering our statutory services.
We are committed to processing any continuation requests for 6 months after 1 July 2022.
This does not affect standalone Plans Reports and these can be ordered from our online services.
If you have any queries or concerns, you can email your customer relationship manager at: CRTeam@ros.gov.uk.
For specific technical questions about legal reports, you can email: pimanagement@ros.gov.uk.
Ordering reports
You can apply through our online portal by completing the request with the relevant information.
For our plans reports, we need a full bounding description of the subjects and/or an upload of the plan in PDF format or shapefile.
If it's not possible to upload a PDF of the plan, you can send a paper copy by post or email to reports@ros.gov.uk.
If a file size is greater than 75 MB, you can send the file using Egress Switch. The site generated ID code should then be sent to reports@ros.gov.uk.
Please let us know in the additional information field of the application form if you'll be sending additional information by email or post.
We offer a diary service, allowing you to request a specific report release date for your report or continuation report.
When applying for a plans report, we will send an acknowledgement to the to the email address as part of your request.
The acknowledgement will include an approximate timescale for completion. If you selected a report release date, the timescale indicated will begin from the selected date.
If a report is complex, the timescale for completion may be later than the dates mentioned in the acknowledgement.
On receiving your report
Not every report shows agreement between the subjects and the OS map. Here's what you can do in some common scenarios.
Registering the legal extent of your subjects
Reports can show if the legal extent is smaller or larger than the occupied extent.
If no conflicting cadastral units exist, no further action is necessary. The application for registration will be acceptable and will proceed against the legal extent.
One of the key conditions of registration, as specified in section 23(1)(b) of the 2012 Act, is that any deed must be valid. The Keeper will proceed with an application on the understanding that the applicant has satisfied themselves that the seller has right and title to grant.
Registering the occupied extent of your subjects
Reports can show if the occupied extent is smaller or larger than the legal extent.
With a smaller legal extent, you can apply in the normal manner if the parties consider that the granter has a valid title to an area which appears to go beyond that defined in the descriptive title deed.
The disposition submitted for registration must include the area in question. This requires incorporating a new deed plan into the disposition submitted for registration.
Registration limiting title to the occupied extent, when the legal extent is larger, will be acceptable.
The deed submitted for registration should convey only the area of ground for which registration is sought. To meet the requirements of section 23(1)(c) of the 2012 Act, it may be necessary to incorporate a prepared plan into the deed submitted for registration.
Competing titles
If you are content to register while excluding the area of conflict, then an application on that basis will be acceptable.
The deed submitted for registration should only convey the area of ground for which registration is sought.
To meet the requirements of section 23(1)(c) of the 2012 Act, it may be necessary to incorporate a prepared plan into the deed submitted for registration.
Where you wish to include the area of conflict, we will need remedial action. There are two main requirements under the 2012 Act relating to the cadastral map:
- The deed in question must be capable of enabling the Keeper to plot the subjects on to the cadastral map
- The property extent in question must not overlap with an existing registered title
In the event that either need is not met, the Keeper must reject the application.
The above requirements must be met at the date the application is submitted.
The register will need to be rectified before submission of your application.
Further information on the rectification process
The boundaries don't match the OS map
If you think the OS map is wrong, you should include information to this effect with your application. The Keeper will consider matters on receipt of the application.
Despite any discrepancy between legal extent and the boundaries defined on the OS map, if the Keeper can plot the subjects on the cadastral map then registration can proceed.
Section 11(7) of the 2012 Act provides that the Keeper will update and make consequential changes in the register and cadastral map as and when the base map is updated.
Important copyright information
Ordnance Survey data is subject to Crown Copyright. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without the prior written permission of Ordnance Survey.
In the absence of evidence to the contrary, the Keeper will treat applications on the basis that the applicant has satisfied themselves that the requisite permissions have been obtained.
Plan assistance service
The plan assistance service (PAS) has been withdrawn.
As a non-statutory service, the decision was taken to withdraw the Plans Assistance Service (PAS) in order to prioritise available resource onto delivering statutory services.
We committed to completing the outstanding applications that were with us. We also committed to processing any changes to existing requests for a further six months.
This period has now come to an end and we will no longer be accepting any changes to existing plans created by PAS.
While we currently have no plans to reintroduce this service, we are keen to work with customers to meet their needs and provide assistance to anyone who is planning to submit applications for registration.
If you have any queries or concerns please contact your Customer Relationship Manager.