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Technical specification Title descriptor dataset

Overview

The Title Descriptor dataset gives the estate interest and class of title for each registered estate and interest in England and Wales.

The class of title describes how confident the Registrar is in the establishment of ownership at registration. The class of title is used by property professionals to guide their approach to decision making when dealing with the registered title.

Each registered estate or interest has a unique title number. A title number can only have one class of title.

Specification scope

Inclusions and exclusions

The Title Descriptor data is a sub-set of the Land Register containing all registered titles relating to land or property. Every registered title will always have a title number, an estate and class of title.

If there is an application awaiting registration there will be an associated title number, but no information about the estate or class of title.

The dataset also shows applications for registration that HM Land Registry has started but not yet completed.

Relationship to other HM Land Registry data products

The Title descriptor dataset is closely linked to the National Polygon and UPRN datasets. They have been separated so that the datasets are smaller and easier to manage and maintain.

The title number is a unique identifier that can be linked to other HM land Registry data.

Data content and structure

Table 1 - Title descriptor dataset: Class diagram

Class diagram of the dataset which describes the content and structure
Title Descriptor
Title Number
Estate Interest
Class of Title
Registered Status
Change Indicator

Table 2 - Title descriptor dataset: Table structure

Description of the data fields in the dataset
Field name Data type Mandatory Description
Title number Character Yes Unique number which identifies a registered title to land
Estate Interest Character No The estate interest describes the legal estate or the legal interest that has been registered. Estate Interest types are described in table 3
Class of Title Character No The class of title describes the confidence the Registrar has in the ownership of the title at the point of registration. When we register land, we guarantee the titles that we register. Under this guarantee, we may pay indemnity where there is an error or omission found on a title in compensation. We cannot guarantee every title to the same extent. The class of title we grant on registration will reflect the guarantee. Class of title types are described in table 4
Registered status Character Yes Indicates if the title is registered
“Pending” - application is being processed
If the field is “” (blank) – the title is registered
Change Indicator Character Yes Indicates the change to the row
New, Changed, Deleted

Table 3 - Title descriptor dataset: Estate interests

Codes and descriptions of the estate interests included in the dataset
No Code Legal Estate / Interest Description
1 EL Estate in land A legal estate describes the ownership of land and the duration for which land is to be held. Estates can be freehold or leasehold. Freehold estates are held for an unknown or infinite duration. Leasehold estates have a fixed or maximum duration
2 FA Affecting franchise A franchise is a right granted by the Crown. An affecting franchise relates to a defined area of land. It is an adverse right affecting, or capable of affecting, the title to an estate or charge. A franchise does not carry with it ownership of the physical land. It is separate from the freehold or leasehold estates in land
3 FC Relating franchise A franchise is a right granted by the Crown. A relating franchise does not relate to a defined area of land. A franchise does not carry with it ownership of the physical land and is distinct from the freehold or leasehold estates in land
4 MA Manor Manors are of ancient origin dating from before Norman times. A manor was self-contained with its own customs and rights within its defined area. The LR Act 2002 has no power to register a manor
5 PG Profit a prendre in gross A profit a prendre is the right to take something from the land of another e.g. the right to fish from a river or to hunt game. Profit a prendre in gross exist independently in their own right
6 RC Rentcharge A rentcharge is a sum of money, payable either annually or biannually, which is a charge on land.
A rentcharge is usually created when land changes ownership. The party selling the land reserves an annual rent which is payable to them and their successors in title
7 RP Rentcharge (Perpetual) A perpetual rentcharge describes a rentcharge intended to be payable indefinitely
8 RT Rentcharge (Terminable) A terminable rentcharge describes a rentcharge granted for a fixed number of years

Table 4 - Title descriptor dataset: Class of title

Codes and descriptions of the class of titles included in the dataset
No Code Class of Title Description
1 AF Absolute freehold title This is the best class of freehold title. An application based on a purchase of unregistered land for value by the estate owner or a predecessor in title and supported by a proper documentary title commencing with a good root of at least 15 years old at the date of acquisition will normally result in the grant of an absolute title
2 QF Qualified freehold title This class of title may be approved where a person has applied for an absolute title but on examination it appears to the Registrar that the title is affected by some specific defect which he cannot disregard under his power to register a title open to objection
3 PF Possessory freehold title This class of title is most likely to be approved in two cases:
  1. Where the applicant claims adverse possession;
  2. Where the title deeds have been lost or destroyed.
In each case the lack of conventional documentary title means there is a risk that the title may be affected by undisclosed adverse interests
4 AL Absolute leasehold title This is the best class of leasehold title. Absolute leasehold title will only be granted if:
  • we are satisfied that title to the estate is such as a willing buyer could properly be advised by a competent professional adviser to accept,
  • we approve the lessor’s title to grant the lease (section 10(2) of the Land Registration Act 2002)
5 GL Good leasehold title Good leasehold is granted where the lessee’s right to assign the lease has been shown but the evidence is not such as to satisfy the registrar that the criteria for Absolute Leasehold has been met
6 QL Qualified leasehold title This class of title may be approved where on examination it appears to the Registrar that the title of the lessor to the reversion or of the lessee to the leasehold interest is subject to some specific defect
7 PL Possessory leasehold title This class of title may be granted where the applicant title is primarily dependant, not upon a conventional documentary title, but upon them being in possession of land which is comprised in a lease. It may be approved where the leasehold documents have been lost or destroyed or where a squatter claims to have acquired a leasehold title by adverse possession
8 SF Scheme Title Freehold A scheme title describes the process that allows a public authority, private developer or other organisation to apply to register a defined area of land acquired piecemeal over a period of time and build up its title as land is acquired. A freehold scheme title is an acquisition of freehold land
9 CF Commonhold Freehold A form of land ownership of registered freehold land. It gives owners of individual units in a development the security of freehold ownership but allows them to control and collectively manage their own common areas and to apply positive obligations to every successive owner of the individual units in the development
10 SL Scheme Title Leasehold A scheme title describes the process that allows a public authority, private developer or other organisation to apply to register a defined area of land acquired piecemeal over a period of time and build up its title as land is acquired. A leasehold scheme title is an acquisition of leasehold land
11 CL Commonhold Leasehold A form of land ownership of registered leasehold land. It gives owners of individual units in a development the security of freehold ownership but allows them to control and collectively manage their own common areas and to apply positive obligations to every successive owner of the individual units in the development
12 AR Absolute Rentcharge A rentcharge is any sum of money charged on land payable either annually or periodically, other than rent reserved by a lease or interest charged under a charge. An absolute rentcharge is the best class of rentcharge
13 PR Possessory Rentcharge A rentcharge is any sum of money charged on land payable either annually or periodically, other than rent reserved by a lease or interest charged under a charge. A possessory rentcharge may be applicable where conventional documentary evidence of the rentcharge is not available
14 QR Qualified Rentcharge A rentcharge is any sum of money charged on land payable either annually or periodically, other than rent reserved by a lease or interest charged under a charge. A qualified rentcharge is applicable where an absolute rentcharge has been applied for but on examination it appears to the Registrar that the application has some defect
15 CN Caution Against First Registration Describes an interest in an unregistered legal estate, so that the cautioner will receive notice by the Registrar of any application for first registration of that estate

Example of extract

Title Number, Estate Interest, Class of title, Registered status, Change indicator,

“HS112345”,”EL”,”AF”,””,”C”

“HS123457”,”EL”,”AF”,””,”C”

“AGL076542”,”EL”,”AF”,””,”C”

“SYK012345”,”EL”,”AF”,””,”C”

“CYM23456”,”EL”,””,”Pending”,”A”

Data quality

We try to make sure that our public data is accurate, but we cannot guarantee that it is free from errors or fit for your purpose or use.

Data capture information

When land is registered for the first time we record if the land is held under freehold or leasehold. We also record details from applications for new leases. 

The class of title given depends on the strength of the evidence of title lodged. There are 3 classes of title for freehold land and 4 for leasehold land. The best class of title is absolute.

A qualified title may be granted if there is a specific defect in title. This defect will be specified in the register. 

A possessory title is granted where the title is held under adverse possession or the title deeds have been lost or destroyed.

A good leasehold title may be granted where we do not have evidence of the landlord’s right to grant the lease. On a lease out of a registered title, we grant good leasehold where we do not have documentary evidence of the landlord’s title back to the freehold and the landlord’s title is not registered with absolute title.

Data maintenance

The tenure of the title does not change. The class of title can change if the class of title is not absolute and an application is made with the correct evidence supplied. Where the class of title is not absolute, an application can be made to upgrade the class of title. The evidence needed will depend on the current class of title. 

Each month HM Land Registry will publish a

  • full extract of the dataset
  • change only update file
  • validation file to check that the data has downloaded correctly

The data can change more than once a month but we’ll only publish the latest data.

Data product delivery

Access to the dataset

There is a charge for the dataset and you’ll have to sign a licence.

You'll be able to access the data after you've:

Granting access

The files are updated and available from the 2nd working day of each month.

You’ll have access to the full dataset, the change only updates and the validation files.

File structure

The dataset is provided as a CSV file. The data in each file will:

  • use a comma to separate each field: ',' (ASCII 44)
  • enclose all fields within double quotes: "" (ASCII 34)
  • send blank fields without a character between double quotes: ""
  • have a date format of DD-MM-YYYY. For example, 14 December 2013 will be shown as 14-12-2013
  • use UTF-8 encoding (the way characters are coded for websites)
  • have line separation removed
  • have the column heading name as the first row

File name

The file names will be structured as follows:

  • Full file: LR_TENURE_FULL_<3 character Month>
  • Example file name structure for April 2020: LR_TENURE_FULL_APR
  • Change Only Update file: LR_TENURE-COU-DD-MMM-YYYY
  • Example file name structure for April 2020: LR_TENURE-COU-02-APR-2020
  • Validation file: LR_TENURE_VALI_<3 character Month>
  • Example file name structure for April 2020: LR_TENURE_VALI_APR

Contact information

If you have any feedback or questions about this data, contact us via:

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