Conversions
Lease plans in London
A lease plan is the drawing attached to a lease or transfer that shows exactly which land or flat is being let, and HM Land Registry will query one that is vague. We produce lease plans for London properties as MCIAT chartered architectural technologists, as a fixed quote after a free constraints check.
Fixed quote after a free constraints check
- MCIAT chartered
- £2m PI insured
- LABC Partnered
- Fixed fees, VAT included
Request a fixed quote
What a lease plan has to show
The plan identifies the demise: the flat, the garage, the roof terrace or the whole building being let. It is read years later by solicitors, lenders and neighbours, so the red edging must follow real walls and boundaries rather than rough lines.
Where a lease covers a flat, the plan has to be clear about what is inside the demise and what is shared. Staircases, hallways, bin stores and gardens are the places where disputes start, so we show each of them explicitly.
Our drawings come from a measured survey, so the dimensions match the building. If you need the whole block mapped first, our measured building survey service is the starting point.
HM Land Registry's rules on scale and north
HM Land Registry sets what it will accept in its published practice guidance on plans. On scale it says: 1:1250 to 1:500 for urban property; 1:2500 rural. Orientation is covered by a second rule: Show a north point and enough surrounding detail to locate the land on the OS map; metric with a bar scale.
The Registry also dislikes defensive wording on the sheet itself: Do not mark plans 'Do not scale'; ideally not 'for identification only'. We leave these notes off, since a plan marked that way can be rejected as unclear.
Printing matters too. The guide notes: Print PDFs at 100% so the stated scale is preserved. We issue PDFs set up for exactly that, so the bar scale stays true when a solicitor prints the document.
Lease plans for flats with several floors
A flat that spans levels, or a building with a basement, needs more than one view. The guidance says: Show the extent at each floor level; complex internal boundaries at a larger scale such as 1:200. We draw a separate plan for every level of the demise, with the same orientation each time so they can be compared.
When several plans accompany one lease, the signing rule applies: Where several plans are used, all must be signed by the applicant or disponor. We label and number every sheet so none can be confused with another.
A maisonette, a flat with a roof terrace or a split-level conversion are the cases where this pays off most, because a single sheet cannot describe them.
When you need a lease plan
Lease plans are needed when a flat is sold with a new lease, when a freehold is divided into flats and when a lease is extended or varied. They also appear after a house is converted, which links to our flat conversion drawings service.
If a tenant wants to alter the demise, a separate document is needed. That is the licence to alter drawings route, which shows the works rather than the boundary.
We do not give legal advice. Your solicitor decides what the lease says; we make sure the plan is accurate enough for them to rely on.
Lease plan fees
We do not publish a price for lease plans and we never infer one. Instead you receive a fixed quote after a free constraints check, with VAT included, once we know the building and how many demises need drawing.
A single flat in a small conversion is a small job; a block with many leases is quoted as a set. Either way the figure is fixed before you commit.
How the drawings are produced
You send the address, the lease draft if you have one, and who needs the plan. We check the property and quote. A measured survey follows on one datum, including each level and the shared parts.
We model the building, draw the demise on each floor and send you a draft. A second chartered technologist, never the drawer, checks scale, north point and boundaries before it is issued.
Plans are normally ready about a week after the survey.
Why lease plans get sent back
Solicitors and the Land Registry return plans for a few repeat reasons. The edging is unclear, a floor is missing, the plan carries a disclaimer, or it was drawn from a sketch that does not match the building. We check each plan against those points before it leaves us.
Accuracy matters more than neatness. A plan that places a stair or a cellar wrongly can leave a leaseholder with the wrong property, a problem that surfaces years later at sale. That is why we start from a measured building survey rather than agents' floor plans.
We draw the plan, while your solicitor drafts the lease and decides what is included. Tell us early which parts, such as the loft, cellar, garden or parking, are part of the letting, and we will show them clearly.
Lease plans by council
Lease plans are governed by the Land Registry rather than the council. The council still matters where the building is being converted or altered, so our area pages cover the planning side. See architectural drawings in Camden for an example.
Find your area from architectural drawings by area.
The national rules in figures
| Measure | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| HM Land Registry PG40 supplement 2, section 9, Table 1 (updated 13 Oct 2025) | 1:1250 to 1:500 for urban property; 1:2500 rural | — | gov.uk |
| PG40s2 section 9, Table 1 | Show a north point and enough surrounding detail to locate the land on the OS map; metric with a bar scale | — | gov.uk |
| PG40s2 section 9, Table 1 | Do not mark plans 'Do not scale'; ideally not 'for identification only' | — | gov.uk |
| PG40s2 section 9 | Show the extent at each floor level; complex internal boundaries at a larger scale such as 1:200 | — | gov.uk |
| PG40s2 (2020 amendment) | Where several plans are used, all must be signed by the applicant or disponor | — | gov.uk |
| PG40s2 (printing note) | Print PDFs at 100% so the stated scale is preserved | — | gov.uk |
A blank value means the figure has not been published, not that there are none. Check your own address with the council.
Building regulations, layer by layer
The Approved Documents that shape most house projects, from structure to the application itself.
- A · Part A: structure
- Approved Document A: Structure, 2004 edition incorporating 2004, 2010 and 2013 amendments
- B · Part B: fire safety
- All dwellings: fire detection and alarm system minimum Grade D2 Category LD3 (BS 5839-6), mains-operated smoke alarms to BS EN 14604
- C · Part L: insulation
- New elements in existing dwellings, limiting U-values W/(m²·K): roof 0.15, wall 0.18, floor 0.18, windows 1.4 (or WER Band B), doors 1.4
- D · Part K: stairs
- 2.0 m clear headroom over stairs
- E · Full plans application
- Building control body must decide a full plans application within 5 weeks, or longer if agreed in writing
What you receive
Questions
What is a lease plan?
It is the scaled drawing attached to a lease that shows exactly which land or flat is let. HM Land Registry reads it when the lease is registered.
How much do lease plans cost?
We give a fixed quote after a free constraints check, VAT included. No fee is published for lease plans.
What scale should a lease plan be?
Land Registry guidance prefers a stated scale for the type of land, with a bar scale and a north point. Complex flats may use a larger scale.
Do I need a plan for each floor?
Yes, when the flat or building spans several levels. The guidance asks for the extent at each floor level.
Do you give legal advice on the lease?
No. Your solicitor advises on the lease. We supply an accurate plan.
Sources and dates
- gov.uk, retrieved
- gov.uk, retrieved
- gov.uk, retrieved
- gov.uk, retrieved
- gov.uk, retrieved
- legislation.gov.uk, retrieved
- Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026.
- Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. This data is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Contains Historic England data © Historic England 2026. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2026.
Tell us about your property.
We check the constraints, then send a fixed fee. Messages before 3pm get a reply the same working day.