Lease Plan Requirements: Land Registry Guide
Everything you need to know about lease plan requirements for HM Land Registry - what must be included, common problems, and how to get it right first time.
What is a Lease Plan?
A lease plan is a scaled drawing that shows the extent of property being leased. It clearly identifies the demised premises (the area being let) using coloured edging, dimensions and floor layouts. Lease plans are required by HM Land Registry for registering leases of 7 years or more.
When Do You Need a Lease Plan?
- New leases over 7 years - mandatory for registration
- Lease extensions - if extending to over 7 years
- Lease variations - if boundaries are changing
- First registration - of existing long leases
Essential Requirements
A compliant lease plan must include:
Location Plan
An Ordnance Survey based plan at 1:1250 or 1:2500 scale showing the property in its wider context. The site should be clearly identifiable.
Floor Plan
A detailed floor plan at 1:100 or 1:200 scale showing the internal layout. For multi-storey leases, each floor should be shown.
Red Edging
The demised premises must be edged in red. This clearly shows exactly what is included in the lease. Other colours may indicate rights of way, parking, etc.
Additional Requirements
- • Scale bar or stated scale - so measurements can be verified
- • North point - for orientation
- • Property address - clearly stated
- • Floor level - ground, first, basement, etc.
- • Key/legend - if multiple colours used
Common Rejection Reasons
Plans are often rejected for:
- • Demise not clearly edged in red
- • Plan not to scale or scale not stated
- • Location plan doesn't show sufficient context
- • Floor level not identified
- • Plan doesn't match lease description
- • Poor quality scan or illegible text
- • Insufficient detail to identify boundaries
Format Requirements
Land Registry accepts plans in various formats:
- • Paper - must be A4 or A3, printed clearly
- • PDF - for electronic lodgement (preferred)
- • JPEG/PNG - acceptable but PDF preferred
Plans should be clear, legible and capable of being reproduced. Colour printing is essential for showing the red edging.