Dear Ms Burrell,

Thank you for your enquiry.

Requests for information which is available under the Land Registration Act and Rules are exempt from the provisions of the Freedom Of Information Act 2000 because the information is accessible by other means.

Under the Land Registration Act and Rules there are 3 options to find details of the owner of registered land or property:

1) If you have the title number or a full postal address you can visit most land registry offices in person to make a search.

2) If you have the title number or a full postal address, you can visit www.landregistry.gov.uk - Find a property - to view and/ download a copy register of title. The services offered are explained further on the website; or

3) You can obtain an official copy of the register entries (and title plan if required) by post by completing Land Registry form OC1. You must send the application to the appropriate land registry office for the area.

If you do not have the title number or a full postal address (e.g search relates to a piece of land), you must first apply for a Search of the Index Map using form SIM. You must attach a plan to the SIM which clearly identifies the land in question. If the land/property is registered the search result will reveal the title number(s). Once you have obtained the title number. You can find out details of the title by obtaining a copy of the register as in 1 - 3 above.

For further guidance and contact details of all our offices please see Public Guide 1 (copy attached). All land registry forms and leaflets are available to view and/or download from our website www.landregistry.gov.uk or from any land registry office.

The fees payable for copies or inspection are:
£4.00 per inspection and/or copy for online enquires; and
£8.00 per official copy for postal or applications made in person.

The fee payable for a Search of the Index Map is £5.00 per application where no or not more than five registered titles are disclosed.

With regards to when ownership commenced, Land Registry can only confirm dates of when ownership commenced if the land/property was already registered when it was acquired. An owner may have been in ownership before the land was registered. If this is the case we may not be able to confirm this information. However,there may be entries on the register by reference to a previous deed or document which may hold this information.

Yours sincerely
Belinda Dawkins
Customer Service
Land Registry, Head Office,
Direct Line 0207 166 4397
[email address]
Land Registry Head Office, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3PH

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