Lease Plan Requirements: What Should Be Included?
When you create or update a lease for a property, you may need a lease plan. A clear plan helps everyone understand exactly which part of the property the lease covers.
This matters particularly for leasehold flats, apartments, commercial units and parts of larger buildings.
Understanding the main lease plan requirements can help you prepare the right information before a property transaction.
HM Land Registry provides guidance about preparing plans for land registration. You can read the official HM Land Registry guidance for the latest requirements.
What Is a Lease Plan?
A lease plan shows the property or area covered by a lease.
For example, a leasehold flat may occupy only part of a larger building. The lease plan can show the flat’s position and distinguish it from neighbouring properties.
A lease plan may cover:
Leasehold flats
Apartments
Commercial units
Offices
Shops
Garages
Parking spaces
Storage areas
Parts of larger developments
However, every property has different requirements.
A lease plan also has a different purpose from a standard property floor plan. A marketing floor plan usually helps buyers or tenants understand the layout of a property. In contrast, a lease plan focuses on identifying the area covered by the lease.
What Should a Lease Plan Include?
The exact details depend on the property and transaction. However, a good lease plan should give enough information to identify the leased area clearly.
Here are some of the main details to consider.
1. Property Location
First, the plan should show where the property sits.
Useful details can include:
Property number or name
Street name
Town or city
Postcode
Nearby roads
Other identifiable features
HM Land Registry recommends including enough surrounding information to help identify the property in relation to the Ordnance Survey map. See the official plan guidance.
2. The Leased Area
Next, the plan needs to show the area covered by the lease.
Clear boundaries make this easier to understand.
For example, a block of flats may contain 20 individual apartments. The lease plan for one apartment should clearly distinguish that apartment from the other units and shared areas.
Therefore, avoid unclear boundaries or markings that could create confusion.
3. Floor Level
Floor information becomes especially important for flats and maisonettes.
A property may sit on the:
Ground floor
First floor
Second floor
Basement level
Multiple floors
The plan should make the relevant floor or floors clear.
HM Land Registry provides specific guidance for leasehold floor-level title plans. You can read the official leasehold title plan guidance here.
4. Scale
The plan should show a suitable scale when the relevant requirements call for one.
HM Land Registry provides preferred scales for different types of property plans. For example, urban properties may use scales such as 1:1250 or 1:500, while rural properties may require a different scale.
However, the correct scale depends on the type and purpose of the plan.
Therefore, check the requirements before preparing the final drawing.
5. North Point
A north point helps show the property’s orientation.
This can prove useful when several properties have similar layouts. It can also help someone understand how the building sits in relation to nearby roads and land.
HM Land Registry includes orientation information, such as a north point, within its general plan guidance.
6. Surrounding Features
The plan should contain enough surrounding information to help identify the property.
For example, you may need to show:
Roads
Road junctions
Nearby buildings
Boundaries
Other identifiable features
However, you do not need to fill the plan with unnecessary information.
Instead, include details that help someone locate the property and understand its boundaries.
7. External Areas
Some leases include areas outside the main building.
For example, a lease may include:
Private gardens
Balconies
Terraces
Parking spaces
Garages
Storage areas
If these areas form part of the lease, make them clear on the plan.
HM Land Registry provides guidance on showing areas such as parking spaces on leasehold plans. Read the official guidance.
Do Lease Plans Need Measurements?
Measurements can help explain the property’s boundaries. However, the exact requirements depend on the purpose of the plan.
For some properties, dimensions can make the relationship between rooms, boundaries and external areas clearer.
However, adding measurements alone does not make a plan suitable for registration.
The plan still needs to identify the property clearly.
Therefore, if you need a plan for a legal transaction, ask your solicitor or conveyancer about the specific requirements.
Do Lease Plans Need Colour?
Colour or clear edging can make the leased area easier to identify.
For example, you could use a clear boundary around the area covered by the lease. You can then use different markings for other relevant areas.
The main goal is clarity.
Someone reviewing the plan should quickly understand which area forms part of the lease.
HM Land Registry provides examples of plans that use clear edging and other references to identify property boundaries. See the official guidance.
What About Leasehold Flats?
Lease plans become particularly useful for leasehold flats.
A flat may form only one part of a much larger building. Therefore, the plan needs to show where that flat sits within the building.
For example, an apartment block may contain several floors and many individual flats.
The relevant plan may need to identify:
The apartment
Its floor
The building
A balcony
A parking space
A storage area
However, not every surrounding area belongs to the individual lease.
HM Land Registry explains how leasehold floor-level plans can show the extent of a property within a larger building. Read the official guidance.
What About Parking Spaces?
Parking spaces can sometimes cause confusion during leasehold transactions.
A parking space may form part of the lease. Alternatively, the owner may have separate rights to use it.
Therefore, do not assume that a parking space automatically forms part of the leasehold property.
Check the lease and relevant title information first.
If the parking space forms part of the leased property, the documentation should identify it clearly.
What About Communal Areas?
Apartment buildings often contain shared areas.
These areas may include:
Communal hallways
Staircases
Lifts
Shared entrances
Communal gardens
Bin stores
Access routes
These areas may not form part of an individual lease.
Instead, the lease may give the tenant specific rights to use them.
For this reason, the plan should clearly distinguish the leased property from communal areas.
The lease itself also remains important. HM Land Registry explains that the register and title plan should be considered alongside the lease when understanding a leasehold property. Read the official title plan guidance.
Why Does Plan Accuracy Matter?
Accuracy matters because a lease plan can form part of important property documentation.
A person reviewing the plan needs to understand the exact area involved.
For example, an unclear boundary could create questions about whether a garden, parking space or storage area belongs to the lease.
Furthermore, HM Land Registry explains that poor-quality plans can create problems when identifying land and may result in further queries during an application. Read the current plan guidance.
Therefore, always check the plan carefully before submitting it.
Common Lease Plan Problems
Several common issues can make a lease plan difficult to understand.
Unclear boundaries
First, make sure the plan clearly shows where the leased area begins and ends.
Missing floor information
Next, check the floor level when the property forms part of a multi-storey building.
Limited location information
Also, provide enough surrounding detail to help identify the property.
Incorrect scale
In addition, check that the plan uses a suitable scale for its intended purpose.
Unclear external areas
Furthermore, identify parking spaces, gardens, balconies and storage areas when they form part of the lease.
Poor-quality copies
Finally, make sure the plan remains clear after scanning, printing or uploading.
HM Land Registry provides guidance about the quality and presentation of plans submitted for registration. Read the official guidance.
Lease Plan vs Title Plan
People sometimes use the terms lease plan and title plan interchangeably. However, they have different purposes.
A lease plan normally forms part of lease documentation. It helps identify the property covered by the lease.
A title plan relates to the registered title and shows the property information held by HM Land Registry.
Therefore, you should not automatically treat the two documents as identical.
For leasehold properties, the lease remains important when you need to understand the property’s rights and boundaries.
You can read more about HM Land Registry title plans on GOV.UK.
Lease Plan vs Property Floor Plan
A lease plan and a property floor plan can look similar. However, they serve different purposes.
A typical marketing floor plan may show:
Bedrooms
Bathrooms
Kitchen
Living rooms
Measurements
Doors
Windows
Room layouts
A lease plan focuses on the area covered by the lease.
Therefore, you should not automatically use a standard estate agent floor plan when someone specifically requests a lease plan.
If you are marketing a property, however, a professional floor plan can still help potential buyers understand the layout. Urgent EPC provides professional floor plan services in London.
Should You Check HM Land Registry Guidance?
Yes.
HM Land Registry updates its practice guidance from time to time. Therefore, you should always check the current requirements before preparing a plan for registration.
The official guidance covers topics such as:
Plan scale
Property identification
Boundaries
Location information
Orientation
Leasehold plans
Electronic submissions
You can find the latest HM Land Registry plans guidance on GOV.UK.
However, HM Land Registry guidance does not replace legal advice.
If your lease plan forms part of a property transaction, ask your solicitor or conveyancer to confirm the requirements for your specific situation.
What Information Should You Give Your Plan Provider?
Before someone prepares a lease plan, collect the relevant property information.
For example, you may need:
Property address
Title information
Existing lease
Floor information
Existing building drawings
Site plan
Parking details
Garden details
Storage details
Information about included areas
Information about excluded areas
Requirements from your solicitor or conveyancer
Providing accurate information at the start can reduce unnecessary revisions later.
Lease Plans and Property Marketing
A lease plan mainly identifies the legal extent of a property.
However, property marketing often requires other documents too.
For example, a property listing may include:
EPC
Marketing floor plan
Professional photography
Property description
Room measurements
Property features
These materials should present accurate and consistent information.
Urgent EPC provides EPC, photography and floor plan services for property marketing.
You can also read how floor plans can help buyers make faster property decisions.
Recent Urgent EPC Articles You May Also Like
If you are preparing a property for sale or dealing with property documentation, these recent Urgent EPC guides may also help.
EPC for Modular Homes
First, read our guide to EPCs for modular homes. It explains important EPC considerations for modular properties.
EPC for Inherited Property
Next, our guide to EPCs for inherited property in London explains what executors should consider when dealing with an inherited property.
EPC and Property Value
Finally, our article on whether an EPC rating can affect property value explains why energy performance can matter when making property decisions.
Lease Plan Checklist
Before finalising a lease plan, work through this simple checklist:
Confirm the property address.
Check the relevant title information.
Identify the leased area.
Confirm the floor level.
Check any included parking spaces.
Check gardens, balconies or terraces.
Check storage areas.
Include enough surrounding information.
Use an appropriate scale.
Add a north point where required.
Make the boundaries clear.
Compare the plan with the lease.
Check the latest HM Land Registry guidance.
Ask your solicitor or conveyancer about transaction-specific requirements.
This checklist can help you spot common problems before the plan reaches the final stage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main lease plan requirements?
The main requirements focus on clearly identifying the property covered by the lease. Depending on the transaction, the plan may need location details, boundaries, floor information, scale, orientation and surrounding features.
Does a lease plan need a scale?
If the relevant registration requirements call for a scale, the plan should show an appropriate stated scale. HM Land Registry provides guidance on suitable scales for different property plans.
Does a lease plan need a north point?
A north point can help show the property’s orientation. HM Land Registry includes orientation information within its general plan guidance.
Should a lease plan show a parking space?
If the parking space forms part of the relevant property or lease, make its location clear in the relevant documentation and plan.
Is a lease plan the same as a floor plan?
No. A floor plan normally shows the layout of a property, while a lease plan identifies the area covered by a lease.
Is a lease plan the same as a title plan?
No. A lease plan and title plan serve different purposes. However, both can play an important role in understanding a leasehold property.
Can you use an old lease plan?
Sometimes. However, changes to the property, lease or transaction may mean that you need an updated plan.
Therefore, check the plan against the current property and ask your solicitor or conveyancer to confirm whether it remains suitable.
Final Thoughts
Understanding lease plan requirements can make property transactions easier to prepare.
The key point is simple: the plan should clearly show the property covered by the lease.
For leasehold flats and other properties within larger buildings, details such as floor level, boundaries, parking, gardens and storage areas can make a significant difference.
However, requirements can vary between transactions.
Therefore, always confirm the final requirements with the solicitor or conveyancer handling the transaction.
For registration-related plans, check the latest HM Land Registry guidance.
If you are preparing a London property for sale or rent, Urgent EPC can also help with your wider property marketing needs, including EPC and floor plan services.
