For almost every registered property in England and Wales there is no official, precise legal boundary on record. What exists is a title plan showing a "general boundary" and a free INSPIRE index polygon showing the indicative extent — both are approximate, and neither settles a dispute with a neighbour.
How to do it
- Look up the property on the GOV.UK "Search for property information" service to confirm it is registered and see the free summary.
- Download the title plan (£7 online) if you want HM Land Registry's own drawing of the extent. It is drawn to the general boundaries rule — the red line shows roughly what is included, not where the legal line sits to the centimetre.
- For a free indicative shape, use the INSPIRE index polygons, released under the Open Government Licence v3.0 as GML files. You need GIS software to open them, and HM Land Registry states they show the "position and indicative extent" of a registered property.
- Check the title register for any boundary agreement, wall or fence covenant, or a "determined boundary" entry — a determined boundary is the rare exception that IS precise, and it will say so.
- If money turns on the exact line — an extension, a sale falling through, a neighbour dispute — instruct a surveyor. No free dataset can answer it.
The practical consequence: a fence in a slightly different place from the red line on a title plan is normal and is not, on its own, evidence that anyone has taken land. Deeds, historic photographs and what has actually been occupied for years usually matter more than the plan.
Check it yourself, free
Property boundaries — see the indicative outline on a map — no account, no email wall.
Sources
- GOV.UK — Search for property information from HM Land Registry
- GOV.UK — INSPIRE index polygons spatial data
Related
- Title register vs title plan — what each one shows
- Property boundaries tool
- Planning applications near a property
- Restrictive covenants, explained
Last reviewed: 2026-09-20. We check these against the linked official sources and re-date the page when they change.