Guidance

Practice guide 74: searches of the index of proprietors’ names

Updated 9 December 2024

Applies to England and Wales

Please note that HM Land Registry’s practice guides are aimed primarily at solicitors and other conveyancers. They often deal with complex matters and use legal terms.

1. Introduction

Under rule 11 of the Land Registration Rules 2003 the registrar is required to keep an index of proprietors’ names which shows for each individual register the proprietor of the registered estate and the proprietor of any registered charge together with the title number. When you search the index of proprietors’ names, you will receive a list of titles that are owned by, or mortgaged to, the name that you have searched against.

The result of the search will show all titles where the name searched is either the proprietor of a registered estate in land or the proprietor of a registered charge. If the person or organisation named in the search owns any titles jointly with another person or organisation, these titles will also be revealed.

Please also note that the results of an index of proprietors’ names search cannot distinguish between different persons or organisations that have the same name. You therefore need to consider the search results carefully.

The result of an index of proprietors’ names search cannot prove that an individual or organisation does not own property within England and Wales. This is because:

• it might reveal properties owned by other individuals or organisations of the same name
• even if the result does not reveal any titles owned in the name searched, that individual or organisation may own property which is not registered

For more information about the result of search see Search results.

2. Who may apply for an index of proprietors’ names search

Any person may apply to search the index of proprietors’ names in respect of:

a) their own name

b) the name of a corporate body such as a registered company

c) the name of some other person in whose property they can satisfy the registrar that they are interested generally. For example:

• the Official Receiver or a trustee in bankruptcy may search against the name of the bankrupt
• a personal representative may search against the name of the deceased on production of the relevant evidence, such as probate or letters of administration

In respect of c) above, the examples given are of people who have stepped into the shoes of the proprietor by statutory vesting. The registrar will always need to be satisfied that the person applying for the index of proprietors’ names search has a general interest in the property of the proprietor of a similar nature to these examples.

Please note that a foreign bankruptcy order (including a Scottish order), even if recognised by the English courts, does not have the effect of vesting any of the bankrupt’s property in England and Wales in the trustee in bankruptcy. The effect of this is that a foreign bankruptcy order does not entitle the trustee in bankruptcy to make a search in the index of proprietors’ names.

You may also search the index of proprietors’ names against a private individual if you have a court order expressly authorising a search of the index of proprietors’ names and specifying the name to be searched and any variations, or if you have the written authority of the person whose name you wish to search against and enclose this with your application.

Information in the index of proprietors’ names relating to a private individual is regarded as personal data and its disclosure is subject to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) and the UK General Data Protection Regulation. We will still be able to provide a search result where there is a lawful basis for disclosing the information. This will include the situations already outlined above (where there is a relevant court order or you can show that you have sufficient interest in the property of a private individual as in a) or c) above). This is because:

• rule 11(3) of the Land Registration Rules 2003 entitles a person to that information if it relates to that person’s own name or they can show that they have sufficient interest in the property of the private individual (as in a) or c) above) and Schedule 2 paragraph 5(2) of the DPA permits disclosure where this is required by legislation

• Schedule 2 paragraph 5(2) of the DPA also permits disclosure of personal data where this is required by a court order

Where there is no such basis, your application will be rejected. In those circumstances, a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) will not normally provide a route to obtain the data either, as section 40 of the FOIA does not require us to disclose personal data where (a) it relates to the requestor or (b) such disclosure would contravene the data protection principles of the DPA.

It is not accepted that, where there are legal proceedings or prospective legal proceedings, disclosure of information from the index of proprietors’ names would not contravene data protection principles (for the purposes of section 40(2) of the FOIA) on the basis that such disclosure is permitted by Schedule 2 paragraph 5(3) of the DPA. While it may be convenient, an application for an index of proprietors’ names search is not necessary “for the purpose of, or in connection with, legal proceedings (including prospective legal proceedings)” or “for the purpose of obtaining legal advice” or “otherwise…for the purposes of establishing, exercising or defending legal rights”.

Under rule 140 of the Land Registration Rules 2003, the police and certain other organisations are entitled to apply for information, including index of proprietors’ names searches, using form CIT. For more information, see practice guide 43: applications in connection with investigation or enforcement proceedings (court, insolvency, tax).

3. How to apply

3.1 Apply by post or document exchange

Complete form PN1 and send it to the address given on the form (please note we can no longer accept applications by fax). Normally you should complete a separate form for each name searched. However, if you are searching only against names of corporate bodies such as registered companies, you may lodge one form PN1 for searches against multiple names. In such cases, please include a separate list of the names to be searched, produced in type with double line spacing. Please note that a fee is payable for each name searched.

If you are not a conveyancer, trustee in bankruptcy, Official Receiver or personal representative and are searching against the name of a private individual, you also need to complete an index of proprietors’ names ID form and enclose it, along with evidence of your identity, when making your application.

You may ask for the search results to be restricted to either the proprietorship or charges register, but by default the search result will show both.

If you are making a search against someone whose property you have a general interest in, you will need to explain the nature of the interest in panel 7 of form PN1 and enclose evidence of your entitlement to make the search with your application, such as a copy of your appointment as trustee in bankruptcy, probate or letters of administration. If you do not enclose the necessary evidence, your application will be rejected.

3.2 Apply by email

Customers who hold an HM Land Registry key number may send certain applications to search the index of proprietors’ names by email to [email protected]. Separate arrangements for investigation or enforcement proceedings are mentioned above. We will not accept applications sent to any other email address. Please note that we do not control the security of email communications before they reach our systems. Information we receive over the internet may not be encrypted or completely secure. If you send information using an insecure method, you do so at your own risk.

Each email must include as an attachment a fully completed form PN1 (please attach only one per email), including panels 1 and 3 completed to permit the application fee to be taken by direct debit. Normally you should complete a separate form for each name searched. However, if you are searching only against names of corporate bodies such as registered companies, you may lodge one form PN1 for searches against multiple names. In such cases, please include a separate list of the names to be searched, produced in type with double line spacing. Please note that a fee is payable for each name searched. Further requirements and limitations on the use of this service are set out in the relevant notice issued by the registrar under rule 14 of and Schedule 2 to the Land Registration Rules 2003. In particular, you may only use this service to send an application by email if you hold an HM Land Registry key number and you are also either:

• applying to search against the name of a corporate body such as a registered company (no further supporting evidence is required)

• a conveyancer who sends the application on behalf of an individual applying to search against his or her own name and attaches the relevant conveyancer’s certificate (see below)

• the Official Receiver or a trustee in bankruptcy, appointed in England and Wales, who applies to search against the name of the bankrupt and attaches evidence of appointment (see below)

• a personal representative, who applies to search against the name of the deceased and attaches evidence of appointment (see below), or

• a conveyancer, on behalf of an applicant within the previous two bullet points, who attaches the relevant conveyancer’s certificate (see below – no separate evidence of appointment is required)

The email service is not available in any other circumstances (this includes those involving a court order).

‘Evidence of appointment’ above means, in bankruptcy situations, copies of both a current bankruptcy order and current appointment of the applicant as trustee in bankruptcy in England and Wales. For personal representatives, it means a copy of a current grant of representation, which will usually be a grant of probate or letters of administration.

The ‘relevant conveyancer’s certificate’ above means a certificate signed by an individual conveyancer, personally in ‘wet ink’ and in his or her own name (not that of his or her firm or employer). It must be in the following form and a copy included as an attachment (not in the body of the email):

“I, [state name of individual conveyancer], am a conveyancer within the meaning of rule 217A(2) of the Land Registration Rules 2003 and I am or, as the case may be, my firm or employer is the person named in panel 3 of the attached form PN1.

My relevant approved regulator or licensing authority is [state details].

In relation to the applicant named in panel 2 of the attached form PN1, I certify that I am satisfied that sufficient steps have been taken to verify:

• the identity of that person, and

• the accuracy of the statement selected in panel 7 of the attached form PN1

Signature [individual conveyancer must sign in their own name and not that of their firm or employer]

……………………………………………………

Date………………………………………………”

The above form must not be amended except to complete details where indicated. In particular, it must remain a certificate of an individually-regulated conveyancer and so must not refer to certification or confirmation by a firm, client or non-conveyancer applicant.

You cannot apply to search the index of proprietors’ names through the HM Land Registry Business e-services portal.

3.3 Tips on searching against private individuals

The search results will be based on an exact name match, but will allow for variations in punctuation and spacing. For example:

• a search for Patrick O’Neil would reveal results for Patrick ONeil or Patrick O Neil, but not Patrick David O’Neil or David Patrick O’Neil
• a search against Sally Anne Smith would also reveal Sally-Anne Smith but not Sally Ann Smith

Mac and Mc are treated as two different names, so a search for Peter McMullen would not reveal titles owned by Peter MacMullen.

Titles such as Lord, Lady, Doctor, Senior, Junior and so on are not used for entering the search details onto the index of proprietors’ names system but would be included in the results.

Searches against hyphenated surnames will include results with or without the hyphen.

A search for Rosemary Smith would not reveal titles owned by Rose Mary Smith, so if a forename could possibly be split or hyphenated, it may be advisable to request a search against both versions of the name.

3.4 Tips on searching against organisations

Searches against a limited or public limited company cover the normal abbreviations and Welsh equivalents.

Limited	Cyfyngedig
Ltd	Cyf
LD
Public Limited Company	Cwmni Cyfyngedig Cyhoeddus
PLC	CCC
P L C
	Cyfyngedig Cyhoeddus
	Cwmni Cyf Cyhoeddus

so a search for Badger Chocolates Limited would also reveal results for Badger Chocolates LTD, Badger Chocolates PLC and Badger Chocolates Public Limited Company.

Community interest companies will not be revealed unless the search request also included the words Community Interest Company.

If you search a company without PLC or Limited in the name, the results would also reveal any instances where that name had been entered with PLC or Limited. The result issued would contain a note drawing your attention to this.

Searches against a limited liability partnership will cover the following variations.

Limited Liability Partnership

Limited Partnership

LP

L P

LLP

L L P

Searches against a limited liability company will cover the following variations.

Limited Liability Company

Limited Company

LC

L C

LLC

L L C

Where a company name contains initials, punctuation and/or brackets, the results will cover any possible permutations. A search for A H Badger Chocolates (UK) Limited will give results for:

AH Badger Chocolates (UK) Limited

A.H. Badger Chocolates (UK) Limited

A. H. Badger Chocolates (UK) Limited

AH Badger Chocolates UK Limited

A H Badger Chocolates (United Kingdom) Limited

and all other possible spacing/punctuation options both with and without the brackets and all variations of Limited and PLC.

The word “the” is ignored – a search for The Badger Chocolate Company would also reveal results for Badger Chocolate Company and vice versa.

Abbreviations for words such as association and company will also be revealed, so the following examples are treated as the same for search purposes.

Company	Co	Company’s	Companies	Coys
Association	Assoc	Ass
Property	Propertys	Property’s	Properties	Props
Brothers	Bros	Bros.
And	&
Road	Rd	Rd.
Street	St	St.
Saint	St	St.

3.5 Searches on local authorities

These are searched by place name and council type. For instance, if you search Plymouth Corporation you will get results for Plymouth City Council, The Mayor Aldermen & Burgesses of the City of Plymouth, Plymouth Council, Council of Plymouth, Borough Council of Plymouth and so on.

3.6 Complex names

Charities, schools and colleges often have many ways of being written and the index of proprietors’ names search will always endeavour to cover as many options as possible. Words such as Governors, Trustees, Governing body of and so on are ignored when performing the search but will appear in the search results.

3.7 Government departments

The search will be made on the name of the department, ignoring words such as Secretary of, Minister of, Department of and so on. For example, a search requested for The Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs would be made on the text Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and would reveal all titles where that text appeared in the proprietor’s name. It would not, however, reveal title numbers for any individual department named in the text, such as the Department for the Environment.

4. Fees

The fee is £15 for each name searched, so if you are searching against both the current and one former name the total fee is £30.

5. Search results

If you include an email address in panel 3 of form PN1, we will normally email the search results to that address as a spreadsheet and/or a PDF document. If you do not include an email address in panel 3 of form PN1, we will send the search results to you by post or document exchange.

For searches against the name of a private individual, we will encrypt any emails we send when issuing results to require you to authenticate yourself to access the details supplied. See our guidance on HM Land Registry email encryption for how to open an encrypted email from HM Land Registry. When you receive details about private individuals from us, by email or on paper, you may have data protection obligations in relation to them. You must take all necessary security or other steps to comply with those obligations.

The results will give you an exact name match and will not take into account any variations of spelling that may appear in the register, other than the standard abbreviations and punctuation variations listed in Tips on searching against private individuals and Tips on searching against organisations. Titles transferred or charged to the named person or company where registration has not yet been completed will not be revealed, as the index of proprietors’ names only contains information relating to completed registrations.

The index of proprietors’ names contains proprietorship details relating to over 23 million registered titles and unfortunately an index of this size inevitably contains some errors. For instance, sometimes closed titles may be revealed.

Warning: The index of proprietors’ names does not distinguish between different persons or organisations having the same name. You are strongly advised to obtain a copy of the register of any title revealed before taking any action based upon the search result.

You may need to check the register for each title, and/or any records you may have of the property holdings of the individual or organisation concerned, to ensure that the property is owned by the person or organisation you are searching against rather than another person or organisation with the same name. Obviously you should exercise particular caution when dealing with a person with a fairly common name, or where you know that another family member has the same name.

Official copies of the register will reveal the address of the title and the name and address of the owner and will normally state the date they were registered as the owner. This information may help you to decide, in conjunction with any other records you may have or are able to obtain, whether that title is owned by the person or organisation you are interested in or by somebody else with the same name. Please see practice guide 11: inspection and application for official copies for further information on how to obtain an official copy of the register.

If we can find no match for the name searched, you will receive a letter telling you that we could find no matches for the name you searched.

5.1 Private individual

Title number	Registered proprietor	HM Land Registry office	Sub Reg Code	Name Type
HCB354865	John Smith	Nottingham	B	S
CS719538	John Smith	Plymouth	B	J
WSL4884	John Smith	Swansea	B	S

The results will show all titles in any part of England and Wales where the exact name searched appears on the index of proprietors’ names, together with the HM Land Registry office dealing with the title. You cannot limit the result to any particular part of the country or specify that the proprietor has a particular address.

The Sub Reg Code tells you whether the person is the owner of the land (code B) or the proprietor of a registered charge (code C).

A name type of S indicates that name searched is the sole owner and a name type of J shows that the name searched is the joint owner.

5.2 Company

Title number	Registered proprietor	HM Land Registry office	Sub Reg Code	Name Type
WSL29694	Badger Chocolates Limited	Swansea	B	C
WSL19857	Badger Chocolates Limited	Swansea	B	C
WSL63856	Badger Chocolates Ltd	Swansea	B	C
WSL4831	Badger Chocolates Ltd	Swansea	B	C

6. Things to remember

We only provide factual information and impartial advice about our procedures. Read more about the advice we give.