A title register is always in the same three parts: the property register (what the land is), the proprietorship register (who owns it and any restrictions on selling), and the charges register (what burdens it — mortgages, covenants, rights of way). Reading it in that order tells you the story quickly.
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How to read a title register: the three parts explained
A title register is always in the same three parts: the property register (what the land is), the proprietorship register (who owns it and any restrictions on selling), and the…
- 1 min read
- Updated 21 September 2026
Part 1 of 3
The three registers
| Part | What it holds | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| A — Property register | Address, tenure, description, rights the property benefits from | Leasehold vs freehold; rights of way you rely on to reach the property |
| B — Proprietorship register | Registered owner, class of title, price paid, restrictions on disposal | Class of title (absolute is the good one); any restriction needing a third party's consent to sell |
| C — Charges register | Mortgages, restrictive covenants, easements, notices | Covenants limiting what you can build or how you can use it; anyone else's rights over the land |
The charges register is where most unwelcome surprises live. A restrictive covenant can be decades old and still bite — "no building forward of the existing line", "no trade or business" — and it binds you whether or not anyone has enforced it recently.
A restriction in part B is not the same thing as a mortgage in part C. A restriction means a sale cannot be registered unless a condition is met, which can stall a transaction badly if it is noticed late.
Part 2 of 3