How to Check a Lease Plan Before Buying a Leasehold Flat
Buying a leasehold flat involves more than checking the number of bedrooms, the asking price and the condition of the property. You should also understand exactly which areas form part of the lease.
A lease plan helps identify the flat or other property covered by the lease. It may also show relevant areas such as balconies, parking spaces, gardens and storage rooms.
Before exchanging contracts, it is worth knowing how to check a lease plan and what to do if something looks unclear. A careful review can help you raise important questions with your solicitor before the purchase progresses.
In this guide, we explain what buyers should look for, which documents to compare and when to ask for professional advice.
1. Start With the Lease and Its Attached Plan
First, ask your solicitor to provide the lease and the plan associated with it. These documents work together to describe the property and the rights attached to it.
The plan provides a visual representation of the relevant area, while the lease sets out the legal terms and rights.
If you are new to the subject, read our guide to Lease Plan for Property: What It Is and When You Need One. It explains why lease plans matter and when a property transaction may require one.
Next, check that the plan relates to the flat you intend to purchase. Look for the property address, flat number, floor level and other identifying details.
If the documents contain different addresses or flat numbers, ask your solicitor to investigate the discrepancy before you proceed.
2. Check the Boundaries of the Flat
The plan should help you identify the area covered by the lease.
This is especially important in apartment buildings, where several flats may sit close together or share walls, corridors and entrances.
Look carefully at the markings that identify the leased area. Make sure you understand which rooms or spaces fall within the flat and which areas sit outside it.
For example, a plan may show a flat’s internal area but exclude the communal hallway. The lease may give the tenant rights to use that hallway without making it part of the flat itself.
If the boundaries are difficult to understand, ask your conveyancer to explain them. Do not rely on the estate agent’s marketing floor plan as a substitute for the legal documents.
3. Confirm Which Floor the Flat Occupies
Floor information matters when a building contains multiple apartments.
A lease plan should make the relevant floor or floors clear where this information is needed to identify the property.
For example, a building might contain a ground-floor flat, several upper-floor apartments and a basement storage area. A plan that does not clearly identify the relevant level could create confusion.
If the flat extends across more than one floor, check how the documents identify each part.
HM Land Registry publishes official guidance on preparing plans for land registration applications. This guidance explains the importance of identifying the property clearly and addressing floor-level details where relevant.
4. Check Whether a Parking Space Is Included
Parking can make a real difference to the usefulness and value of a flat. However, you should not assume that an advertised parking space automatically forms part of the lease.
The property documents may describe parking in different ways. For example, a space might form part of the leased premises, or the lease might grant a right to use a space elsewhere on the development.
Check the lease wording and the relevant plan to understand the arrangement.
Ask your solicitor to confirm:
Whether a parking space is included in the transaction.
Whether the documents identify the correct space.
Whether the lease grants a right to use the space.
Whether any restrictions apply to its use.
Whether the parking arrangement matches the seller’s description.
If the plan shows one space but the sales particulars advertise another, raise the issue before exchange.
5. Look for Balconies, Gardens and Storage Areas
Some flats come with additional spaces that are not immediately obvious from the main floor plan.
These may include a private balcony, a terrace, a garden, a garage or a storage cupboard.
Check whether the lease includes these areas or grants specific rights to use them.
For example, a ground-floor flat might have access to a garden. However, the garden could form part of the communal grounds rather than the flat itself.
Similarly, a storage room in the basement might be allocated to the flat without forming part of the internal living area.
The lease and supporting documents should clarify the arrangement. If they do not, ask your conveyancer to investigate before you commit to the purchase.
6. Understand Communal Areas and Access Rights
Apartment buildings often contain shared facilities, including:
Entrance halls and corridors.
Staircases and lifts.
Communal gardens.
Bin stores.
Shared driveways and access routes.
Bicycle storage areas.
These spaces may belong to the freeholder or fall under other arrangements. Individual leaseholders may have rights to use them without owning the areas themselves.
Therefore, check the lease for rights of access and use. Also, confirm whether any restrictions apply.
For example, the lease may allow residents to use a communal garden but prohibit them from treating it as a private garden.
Understanding these arrangements helps you distinguish the property you are buying from the facilities you can use.
7. Compare the Lease Plan With the Title Documents
Your solicitor should review the lease plan alongside the relevant title register and title plan.
Although these documents relate to the same property, they serve different purposes.
A lease plan identifies the premises covered by the lease. A title plan shows the general extent of the registered title, while the title register contains information about the registered ownership and relevant rights or restrictions.
For leasehold flats, the title plan may not show every internal detail of the flat. The lease and its plan can therefore be important when understanding the exact premises.
HM Land Registry explains these issues in its official guidance on land registration plans.
Do not try to resolve conflicting documents yourself. Instead, ask your solicitor to explain any differences and confirm whether they need further investigation.
8. Look for Differences Between the Plan and the Actual Property
A viewing gives you an opportunity to compare the property with the available documents.
However, physical appearance alone cannot establish the legal boundaries of a lease.
You might notice that a room has been extended, a partition has moved or a previously separate space now connects to the flat.
These changes do not automatically mean the lease plan is incorrect. Nevertheless, they are worth raising if they appear to affect the extent of the premises.
For example, if a seller describes an enclosed balcony as part of the flat, ask your solicitor to check the lease and supporting documents before assuming that the space forms part of the leased property.
If the documents do not reflect an agreed change, your conveyancer can advise whether further evidence, an amended plan or other legal steps may be necessary.
9. Check for Unclear or Poor-Quality Plans
An old plan may be difficult to read, especially if someone has scanned or photocopied it several times.
Watch for:
Faint or missing boundary markings.
Unclear labels.
Missing floor information.
Distorted drawings.
Unidentified external spaces.
Details that do not match the written lease.
HM Land Registry’s guidance for preparing plans explains why clear plans matter in property transactions.
A poor-quality copy does not automatically invalidate a lease. However, if the plan makes it difficult to identify the property, your solicitor should establish whether a clearer copy or additional documentation is needed.
10. Ask These Questions Before Exchanging Contracts
Before exchanging contracts, ask your solicitor to help resolve any questions about the lease plan.
Here are useful questions to raise:
Does the plan clearly identify the flat I am buying?
Does the lease include the balcony, garden or storage area advertised with the property?
Is the parking space included, allocated or provided through a separate right?
Which areas are communal, and what rights do I have to use them?
Does the plan match the lease and relevant title documents?
Have any alterations affected the area covered by the lease?
Are any discrepancies likely to require further documents or clarification?
You do not need to answer every question yourself. Your solicitor can review the documents and explain any legal implications.
The main aim is to identify uncertainties early, rather than discover them after the transaction has progressed.
Lease Plan vs Estate Agent Floor Plan
A lease plan and an estate agent’s floor plan can look similar, but they have different purposes.
An estate agent’s floor plan helps buyers understand the layout of a property. It may show bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens and approximate room dimensions.
A lease plan identifies the area covered by the lease and helps explain the property’s extent.
Therefore, a marketing floor plan may not provide the information needed for a legal transaction.
If you are comparing a property listing with the legal documents, check that you are using the correct plan for each purpose.
For more information about the requirements and details that a lease plan may need to include, read our guide to Lease Plan Requirements: What Should Be Included?.
What If the Lease Plan Needs Updating?
Sometimes, the plan does not reflect an agreed change to the property. Alternatively, the documents may contain an unclear boundary or omit an area that the parties intended to include.
In these situations, your solicitor should establish what the lease actually covers and whether the documents need correction or amendment.
An updated drawing alone may not resolve the issue. The appropriate legal documents and any registration requirements must also be considered.
Read our related guide, When to Update a Lease Plan: Property Changes, Lease Variations and Extensions, for more information about when an existing plan may need review.
The exact steps depend on the circumstances, so obtain advice before relying on an amended plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I check a lease plan before buying a flat?
Yes. Reviewing the plan with your solicitor can help you understand which areas the lease covers and identify questions about boundaries, parking, storage and shared spaces.
Does a lease plan show the exact ownership boundaries?
A lease plan helps identify the premises covered by the lease. However, the plan must be read alongside the lease and relevant title documents. Do not assume that every line on a drawing conclusively establishes ownership of a boundary.
Does a balcony automatically belong to the flat?
No. The lease may include the balcony, grant rights to use it or set out other arrangements. Check the relevant documents before assuming it forms part of the leased premises.
What happens if the lease plan is incorrect?
Ask your solicitor to investigate the discrepancy. Depending on the circumstances, the parties may need further evidence, an amended plan, a variation or other legal documentation.
Is a lease plan the same as an EPC?
No. A lease plan identifies the property or area covered by a lease. An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) provides information about a property’s energy efficiency.
If you are preparing a London property for sale or rent, visit Urgent EPC to learn more about its property assessment and marketing services.
Final Thoughts
Checking a lease plan before buying a leasehold flat can help you understand what you are purchasing and which additional areas you can use.
Pay particular attention to boundaries, floor levels, parking spaces, balconies, storage areas and communal facilities. Then compare the plan with the lease, title documents and the information provided by the seller.
If anything appears unclear, raise the issue with your solicitor before exchanging contracts.
For further information, consult the latest HM Land Registry plan guidance and seek professional advice about your specific purchase.
This article provides general information and does not replace legal advice from a solicitor or conveyancer.
