Adverse possession of registered land (PG4)
Guidance about adverse possession of registered land. Aimed at conveyancers (practice guide 4).
Applies to England and Wales
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Details
This guide tells you about applications for adverse possession of registered land, the procedures for making these applications and the options available to anyone served with notice of such an application.
If you want information on adverse possession of unregistered land, or registered land where the squatter acquired the right to be registered as proprietor before 13 October 2003, see practice guide 5: adverse possession of (1) unregistered land and (2) registered land where a right to be registered was acquired before 13 October 2003.
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Updates to this page
Last updated
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Section 5.5 Charges has been split into section 5.5.1 Existing charges affecting the adversely possessed land and section 5.5.2 Charges created by the squatter. The aim is to clarify that HM Land Registry will not automatically register a charge affecting any adjoining land owned by the squatter on completion of the registration; the applicant must specifically apply to register any such charge and the charge must clearly include the land in question.
Update history
2025-06-23 06:00
Section 10 has been amended to clarify that a fee is currently payable for an application to remove an entry by way of an alteration of the register.
2025-05-19 06:00
Section 5.3 has been amended to confirm that copies of statements of truth or statutory declarations lodged in support of the application will accompany the notice served.
2025-03-10 06:00
Section 5.5 Charges has been split into section 5.5.1 Existing charges affecting the adversely possessed land and section 5.5.2 Charges created by the squatter. The aim is to clarify that HM Land Registry will not automatically register a charge affecting any adjoining land owned by the squatter on completion of the registration; the applicant must specifically apply to register any such charge and the charge must clearly include the land in question.
2024-11-25 06:00
A new third paragraph has been added to section 7 to provide information about HM Land Registry’s practice where the box regarding counter notice in panel 6 of form NAP has not been ticked.
2024-04-02 06:00
Section 3 has been amended following consideration of recent case law.
2022-08-01 06:00
Section 4 has been amended to refer to changes made to form ADV1 by the Land Registration (Amendment) Rules 2022 which came into force on 1 August 2022.