General

A key requirement for registration in the Land Register is that applications must provide a satisfactory description of the property to allow the Keeper to accurately represent that property on the cadastral map - often summarised as no registration without mapping.

Section 16 of the 2012 Act provides an exception to this rule when it comes to registering flats within tenements or flatted buildings. As the conveyancing for flats and other tenement properties has historically included verbal descriptions in their deeds, the ability to register these properties was also built into the Act. Due to the traditional conveyancing styles for flats, it is seldom possible to precisely identify the exact location and extent of each flat and its pertinents on each of the floor levels. Instead, each individual flat & its pertinents within a tenement or flatted building can be described verbally, although sometimes a deed plan will be provided showing the extent of a flat or a pertinent (for example, bin store) on a particular floor level or within the bounds of the steading.

This page contains guidance on what makes an acceptable description for a flat - either verbal, or verbal plus shown on a deed plan. Separate guidance pages cover the exclusive and common pertinents of the flat which can also be shown on a plan (mapped pertinents) or described verbally (verbal pertinents).

Useful Links

Deed Plan Must Be Acceptable

Bounding Description of Property Must Be Acceptable

Monochrome Plans

Mapping Tenements

Key requirements for the description of the flat

It is essential that each flat is sufficiently described so that it can be:

identified within the tenement steading, &
differentiated from all the other flats in that tenement steading.

The description can be purely verbal, or can be a combination of verbal and by reference to a deed plan.

Verbal descriptions of flats

When a flat, unit, shop or office (simplified to flat in this guidance) in a tenement is described in a purely verbal way, there are three essential criteria that must be met before the description is acceptable for registration. An acceptable verbal description can then be used in preparing the property section of the title sheet for the flat being registered.

If the verbal description of the flat or unit in the deed for extent in your application does not meet the three criteria listed below, refer to a referral officer for rejection because the Keeper cannot accurately identify the property in the title sheet.

Criteria 1 - postal address

A postal address must be given in the DIR or deed for extent.

Additional comments

Some tenement or flatted buildings have a unique postal address for each flat or unit within the building, for example:

Flat 2F2, 15 Victor Place, Crieff PH7 3XX (all flats have a unique number listed in the gazetteer in a block with a postal number/address)
27 Duke Road, Stranraer DG9 7XX (a shop with unique postal address in a block comprising 27 & 29 (shops) and flats (31))

Other tenement or flatted buildings only have a postal address for the building itself, for example:

westmost flat on first floor at 16 Nevis Lane, Fort William PH33 6XX

Both forms are acceptable, provided they are supported by Criteria 2 & 3, below.

See Exceptions, below, for special rules that can be applied to shop premises, main door flats & 4-in-a-blocks.

Please note, a postal address alone is not a sufficient description of a flat. It must also be accompanied by some other means of locating that flat within the block - it should be used in combination with the floor level (Criteria 2) and the location on that floor (Criteria 3). This is because we have seen examples of when schemes of flat numbering or description within a block has changed over time, so to avoid potential confusion in the future, we need to know where it is in the building (which floor & which location).

Criteria 2 - floor level

The floor level (or levels) of the flat within the flatted building must be given in the DIR or deed for extent.

Additional comments

Floor levels can be described in several ways, and we should reflect that style when transferring them into the property section.

by reference to the ground or street level (for example, on the second floor above the ground floor);
simply by reference to the floor level (for example, that third floor flatted dwellinghouse); or
in two story buildings such as 4-in-a-block style properties, the description may refer to upper or lower floor (for example, the upper flat, or the flat on the upper level).

All of these types of description are acceptable.

There are also flats in tenements with floors lower than street level that are described as being the basement flat, the sunk flat, the sunk area flat, the half basement flat, etc. Again, provided the other criteria are met, floor level descriptions such as these are acceptable. If however, a flat is described only as the area flat (a rare description style occasionally seen in Edinburgh), and there is no other information or indications as to its floor level in the deeds or application form, please refer to a referral officer - it may be necessary to confirm with the agent what exactly is meant by the term "area flat" so that it can be compared to the floor levels of the other registrations in the block.

Criteria 3 - location

The location of the flat on that floor level (or levels) must be given in the deed for extent.

Additional comments

There are two ways that the location of a flat on a particular floor level can be described:

By compass orientation (for example, the westmost flat on the ground floor, or the northmost portion of the upper floor). The use of unchanging compass directions is a well-established conveyancing practice and is the preferred option for registration.
Other descriptions will refer to the left hand, right hand or middle position on a particular floor (for example, the left hand flatted dwelling house on the ground floor, or the middle unit on the second floor, or the rightmost ground floor flat, or the central third floor flat).

Both of these types of description, and a combination of both, are acceptable.

Although it is more common to see the combination of the two styles (for example, being the left-hand or westmost flat on the third floor), we do also receive applications where the flat is described solely by the left- or right-hand description. In those instances, the plans officer should be particularly careful to check for a potential competing title within the block because there can be confusion when the flats in the block are described inconsistently. There is no hard and fast rule that we can follow that, for example, the left and right are given based on the view of the flats' positions from the street, because in some blocks the left and right are given based on the flats' position from the stairway or landing within the building.

The exception to this particular rule is if a building is split into flats or units where a flat occupies a whole floor (for example, a split villa), the description will not give a location of the flat on that floor level. An example would be "...that flatted dwellinghouse being the lower flat of the dwelling formerly known as .....". In an example such as this where there is only one flat per floor, this type of description would be acceptable.

Examples of acceptable and unacceptable verbal descriptions

Example 1 - acceptable verbal description of a flat	Example 2 - acceptable verbal description of a flat	Example 3 - acceptable verbal description of a flat	Example 4 - acceptable verbal description of a flat
"All and Whole the flatted dwellinghouse 54C Spittal Street, Stirling being the eastmost flat on the first floor above ground within the block of four flatted dwellinghouses 54A, 54B, 54C and 54D Spittal Street, aforesaid. Which subjects are erected on......."	"All and Whole that former dwellinghouse (now office premises) number 1 Randolph Crescent, Edinburgh being the ground floor and the basement storey of the tenement known as 1 Randolph Crescent and 1 Randolph Place, Edinburgh, which tenement is erected on that area of piece of ground....."	"All and Whole the right-hand or westmost flat on the second floor at 17 Carson Place, Glasgow, which tenement is erected on ...."	"All and Whole 53 King Street, Bridge of Earn being the left-hand shop on the street level of the block 53, 54 and 55 King Street ....."
This verbal description meets all of the criteria for accurately identifying a flat or unit within a tenement or flatted building, and therefore can be accepted for registration. A postal address is provided for the flat, the floor level is given, and the location on that floor is given by reference to a compass orientation. When a description such as this is accepted for registration, there is very little risk that a competing title would be accepted at a later date as it would be clear from the title sheet which flat in the building had already been registered.	This verbal description meets all of the criteria for accurately identifying a flat or unit within a tenement or flatted building, and therefore can be accepted for registration. A postal address is provided for the flat, the floor levels are given, and the description indicates that the office occupies the whole of those floor levels within the building. When a description such as this is accepted for registration, there is very little risk that a competing title would be accepted at a later date as it would be clear from the title sheet which flat or unit in the building had already been registered.	This verbal description meets all of the criteria for accurately identifying a flat or unit within a tenement or flatted building, and therefore can be accepted for registration. A postal address is provided for the block within which the flat lies, the floor level of the flat is given, and the location on that floor is given by reference to a compass orientation. When a description such as this is accepted for registration, there is very little risk that a competing title would be accepted at a later date as it would be clear from the title sheet which flat in the building had already been registered.	This verbal description meets all of the criteria for accurately identifying a flat or unit within a tenement or flatted building, and therefore can be accepted for registration. A postal address is provided for the flat, the floor level is given, and the location on that floor is given by reference to left- or right-hand. When a description such as this is accepted for registration, the plans officer should check the description of other registered flats or units on the same floor level to ensure that a consistent style of description has been used. If styles are inconsistent and you are concerned that there may be a competing title, please discuss with a referral officer in case additional information or confirmation is required from the submitting agent.

Example 1 - acceptable verbal description of a flat

Example 2 - acceptable verbal description of a flat

Example 3 - acceptable verbal description of a flat

Example 4 - acceptable verbal description of a flat

"All and Whole the flatted dwellinghouse 54C Spittal Street, Stirling being the eastmost flat on the first floor above ground within the block of four flatted dwellinghouses 54A, 54B, 54C and 54D Spittal Street, aforesaid. Which subjects are erected on......."

"All and Whole that former dwellinghouse (now office premises) number 1 Randolph Crescent, Edinburgh being the ground floor and the basement storey of the tenement known as 1 Randolph Crescent and 1 Randolph Place, Edinburgh, which tenement is erected on that area of piece of ground....."

"All and Whole the right-hand or westmost flat on the second floor at 17 Carson Place, Glasgow, which tenement is erected on ...."

"All and Whole 53 King Street, Bridge of Earn being the left-hand shop on the street level of the block 53, 54 and 55 King Street ....."

This verbal description meets all of the criteria for accurately identifying a flat or unit within a tenement or flatted building, and therefore can be accepted for registration.

A postal address is provided for the flat,
the floor level is given,
and the location on that floor is given by reference to a compass orientation.

When a description such as this is accepted for registration, there is very little risk that a competing title would be accepted at a later date as it would be clear from the title sheet which flat in the building had already been registered.

This verbal description meets all of the criteria for accurately identifying a flat or unit within a tenement or flatted building, and therefore can be accepted for registration.

A postal address is provided for the flat,
the floor levels are given,
and the description indicates that the office occupies the whole of those floor levels within the building.

This verbal description meets all of the criteria for accurately identifying a flat or unit within a tenement or flatted building, and therefore can be accepted for registration.

A postal address is provided for the block within which the flat lies,
the floor level of the flat is given,
and the location on that floor is given by reference to a compass orientation.

This verbal description meets all of the criteria for accurately identifying a flat or unit within a tenement or flatted building, and therefore can be accepted for registration.

A postal address is provided for the flat,
the floor level is given,
and the location on that floor is given by reference to left- or right-hand.

When a description such as this is accepted for registration, the plans officer should check the description of other registered flats or units on the same floor level to ensure that a consistent style of description has been used. If styles are inconsistent and you are concerned that there may be a competing title, please discuss with a referral officer in case additional information or confirmation is required from the submitting agent.

Example 5 - unacceptable verbal description of a flat	Example 6 - unacceptable verbal description of a flat
"All and Whole the flatted dwellinghouse 22D Brora Lane, Inverness on the first floor above ground of the block of four flats known as 22 Brora Lane, aforesaid....together with a right in common with flat 22C to the common stairs and first floor landing. Which subjects are erected on......."	"All and Whole that flatted dwellinghouse known as "Jessie Villa" forming part of the dwellinghouse formerly known as Villa Inveresk and now known as 4 Promenade, Fisherrow, Musselburgh, with the cellars....."
This verbal description meets some but not all of the criteria for accurately identifying a flat or unit within a tenement or flatted building, and therefore cannot be accepted for registration. It contains a postal address for the flat, describes the property as being a flatted dwellinghouse, and contains a floor level but it does not give the location on that floor level where the flat can be found. It is clear from the rest of the description that there is more than one flat at first floor level, therefore the flat cannot be uniquely identified from the other flat on this floor in the block. If a description such as this was accepted for registration, there is a risk that a competing title could be accepted at a later date, particularly if the flats were re-named or re-numbered.	This verbal description meets some but not all of the criteria for accurately identifying a flat or unit within a tenement or flatted building, and therefore cannot be accepted for registration. It contains a postal address for the building, and describes the property as being a flatted dwellinghouse, but it does not give any details of the floor level or the location on that floor level where the flat can be found. The flat cannot be uniquely identified from other flats in the block. If a description such as this was accepted for registration, there is a risk that a competing title could be accepted at a later date as it would not be clear which flat in the building had already been registered, particularly if the flat had changed name from Jessie Villa to another name.

Example 5 - unacceptable verbal description of a flat

Example 6 - unacceptable verbal description of a flat

"All and Whole the flatted dwellinghouse 22D Brora Lane, Inverness on the first floor above ground of the block of four flats known as 22 Brora Lane, aforesaid....together with a right in common with flat 22C to the common stairs and first floor landing. Which subjects are erected on......."

"All and Whole that flatted dwellinghouse known as "Jessie Villa" forming part of the dwellinghouse formerly known as Villa Inveresk and now known as 4 Promenade, Fisherrow, Musselburgh, with the cellars....."

This verbal description meets some but not all of the criteria for accurately identifying a flat or unit within a tenement or flatted building, and therefore cannot be accepted for registration.

It contains a postal address for the flat, describes the property as being a flatted dwellinghouse, and contains a floor level but it does not give the location on that floor level where the flat can be found.

It is clear from the rest of the description that there is more than one flat at first floor level, therefore the flat cannot be uniquely identified from the other flat on this floor in the block.

If a description such as this was accepted for registration, there is a risk that a competing title could be accepted at a later date, particularly if the flats were re-named or re-numbered.

This verbal description meets some but not all of the criteria for accurately identifying a flat or unit within a tenement or flatted building, and therefore cannot be accepted for registration.

It contains a postal address for the building, and describes the property as being a flatted dwellinghouse, but it does not give any details of the floor level or the location on that floor level where the flat can be found.

The flat cannot be uniquely identified from other flats in the block.

If a description such as this was accepted for registration, there is a risk that a competing title could be accepted at a later date as it would not be clear which flat in the building had already been registered, particularly if the flat had changed name from Jessie Villa to another name.

Verbal descriptions of flats combined with a reference on a deed plan

When a flat, unit, shop or office (simplified to flat in this guidance) in a tenement is described verbally and also by reference to an extent shown on a deed plan, there are three essential criteria that must be met before the description is acceptable for registration. An acceptable verbal description combined with a deed plan can then be used in preparing the mapped supplementary data and the property section of the title sheet for the flat being registered.

If the combined description of the flat or unit in the deed for extent in your application does not meet the three criteria listed below, refer to a referral officer for rejection because the Keeper cannot accurately identify the property in the title sheet.

Criteria 1 - postal address

A postal address must be given in the DIR or deed for extent.

Additional comments

Some tenement or flatted buildings have a unique postal address for each flat or unit within the building, for example:

Flat 2F2, 15 Victor Place, Crieff PH7 3XX (all flats have a unique number listed in the gazetteer in a block with a postal number/address)
27 Duke Road, Stranraer DG9 7XX (a shop with unique postal address in a block comprising 27 & 29 (shops) and flats (31))

Other tenement or flatted buildings only have a postal address for the building itself, for example:

westmost flat on first floor at 16 Nevis Lane, Fort William PH33 6XX

Both forms are acceptable, provided they are supported by Criteria 2 & 3, below.

See Exceptions, below, for special rules that can be applied to shop premises, main door flats & 4-in-a-blocks.

Please note, a postal address alone is not a sufficient description of a flat. It must also be accompanied by some other means of locating that flat within the block - it should be used in combination with the floor level (Criteria 2) and the location on that floor (Criteria 3) . This is because we have seen examples of when schemes of flat numbering or description within a block has changed over time, so to avoid potential confusion in the future, we need to know where it is in the building (which floor & which location).

Criteria 2 - floor level

The floor level (or levels) of the flat within the flatted building must be given in the DIR or deed for extent.

Additional comments

Floor levels can be described in several ways, and we should reflect that style when transferring them into the property section.

by reference to the ground or street level (for example, on the second floor above the ground floor);
simply by reference to the floor level (for example, that third floor flatted dwellinghouse); or
in two story buildings such as 4-in-a-block style properties, the description may refer to upper or lower floor (for example, the upper flat, or the flat on the upper level).
Either the verbal description or the combination of the deed plan and verbal description must make it clear which floor(s) the flat is on.

All of these types of description are acceptable.

Criteria 3 - location

The location of the flat on that floor level (or levels) must be given in the deed for extent, and/or be shown on a deed plan that is referred to in the deed for extent.

Additional comments

If a deed plan is referred to as part of the description of the flat, there are two common scenarios seen:

1 The flat is described verbally and the block is shown on a deed plan.

For example, the westmost flat on the first floor of the tenement edged blue on the plan annexed hereto.
With this scenario, the verbal description of the flat must still meet the three criteria in the section above - Verbal Descriptions of Flats.

2 The flat is shown on a deed plan, or a hybrid of both verbal description and deed plan reference is used.

For example, the second floor flat hatched red on the plan annexed hereto of the block 3 Silver Street.
Or a hybrid style - for example, the northmost flat coloured blue on the top floor, or the westmost flatted dwelling house on the second floor of the Block...., as said flat on the second floor is shown hatched in red on the plan annexed hereto
With this scenario, either the deed plan or the combination of the deed plan and verbal description must make it clear which floor the flat is on and where on the particular floor the flat is located.
In order for a description by reference to a deed plan to be acceptable, the deed plan must meet the deed plan criteria listed on Further Guidance page - Deed plan must be acceptable.

All of these types of description, and a combination of them, are acceptable.

Where the deed plan meets the deed plan criteria listed on Further Guidance page - Deed plan must be acceptable, then a plans reference should be provided as well as including the verbal description. Should the deed plan not be acceptable in a hybrid scenario, please speak with a referral officer before rejecting as it may be possible to proceed with the application using only the verbal description.

Examples of acceptable and unacceptable verbal descriptions of flats combined with a reference on a deed plan

Example 1 - acceptable verbal description of a flat combined with a reference to a deed plan	Example 2 - acceptable verbal description of a flat combined with a reference to a deed plan	Example 3 - unacceptable verbal description of a flat combined with a reference to a deed plan
"All and Whole that ground and first floor flatted dwellinghouse known as and forming 34D Boyd Court, Kilmarnock in the County of Ayr forming part of the block of four flatted dwellinghouses number 34A, 34B, 34C and 34D Boyd Court aforesaid, the extent of which flatted dwellinghouse on the ground floor is shown coloured red and hatched black and labelled 34B and 34D on the plan annexed and signed as relative hereto, and on the first floor is shown coloured red and hatched black and labelled 34D on the said plan ....."	"All and Whole that two storey flatted dwellinghouse entering from the street level and known as and forming 34D Boyd Court, Kilmarnock in the County of Ayr forming part of the block of four flatted dwellinghouses number 34A, 34B, 34C and 34D Boyd Court aforesaid, the extent of which flatted dwellinghouse is shown coloured red and hatched black on the plan annexed and signed as relative hereto, ....."	"All and Whole that flatted dwellinghouse known as and forming 34D Boyd Court, Kilmarnock in the County of Ayr forming part of the block of four flatted dwellinghouses number 34A, 34B, 34C and 34D Boyd Court aforesaid, the extent of which flatted dwellinghouse is shown coloured red and hatched black on the plan annexed and signed as relative hereto....."

This verbal description meets all of the criteria for accurately identifying a flat or unit within a tenement or flatted building, and therefore can be accepted for registration. A postal address is provided for the flat, the floor levels are given, and the location on those floors is given by reference to an acceptable deed plan. The deed plan meets the criteria for accurately identifying a property on the cadastral map and can be accepted for registration. It is at an appropriate scale, is drawn to scale, has a north arrow, and contains sufficient surrounding detail to identify the extent of the flat accurately within the building. When a description such as this is accepted for registration, there is very little risk that a competing title would be accepted at a later date as it would be clear from the title sheet which flat in the building had already been registered.	This verbal description combined with the information contained in the deed plan meets all of the criteria for accurately identifying a flat or unit within a tenement or flatted building, and therefore can be accepted for registration. A postal address is provided for the flat, the floor levels can be identified from a combination of the deed and the deed plan, and the location on those floors is given by reference to an acceptable deed plan. The deed plan meets the criteria for accurately identifying a property on the cadastral map and can be accepted for registration. It is at an appropriate scale, is drawn to scale, has a north arrow, and contains sufficient surrounding detail to identify the extent of the flat accurately within the building. When a description such as this is accepted for registration, there is very little risk that a competing title would be accepted at a later date as it would be clear from the title sheet which flat in the building had already been registered.	This verbal description meets some but not all of the criteria for accurately identifying a flat or unit within a tenement or flatted building, and therefore cannot be accepted for registration. The description contains a postal address for the flat and the building and describes the property as a flatted dwellinghouse, but it does not give any details of the floor level or levels within the text of the deed. The deed plan shows the words "upper floor" and this could potentially be used but neither the text of the deed nor the deed plan describe the other level so this description is not sufficient. In addition, the deed plan meets some but not all of the necessary criteria for accurately identifying a property on the cadastral map, and therefore cannot be accepted for registration. Although there is a location plan and a north arrow, it does not have a scale bar or quoted scale so we cannot be certain it is drawn to scale. Also, it does not contain sufficient surrounding detail to identify the location of the flat accurately within the building. The flat cannot be uniquely identified from other flats in the block. If a description such as this was accepted for registration by omitting the plans reference and relying just on the verbal description, there is a risk that a competing title could be accepted at a later date as it would not be clear which flat in the building had already been registered, particularly if the flats were re-named or re-numbered.

Example 1 - acceptable verbal description of a flat combined with a reference to a deed plan

Example 2 - acceptable verbal description of a flat combined with a reference to a deed plan

Example 3 - unacceptable verbal description of a flat combined with a reference to a deed plan

"All and Whole that ground and first floor flatted dwellinghouse known as and forming 34D Boyd Court, Kilmarnock in the County of Ayr forming part of the block of four flatted dwellinghouses number 34A, 34B, 34C and 34D Boyd Court aforesaid, the extent of which flatted dwellinghouse on the ground floor is shown coloured red and hatched black and labelled 34B and 34D on the plan annexed and signed as relative hereto, and on the first floor is shown coloured red and hatched black and labelled 34D on the said plan ....."

"All and Whole that two storey flatted dwellinghouse entering from the street level and known as and forming 34D Boyd Court, Kilmarnock in the County of Ayr forming part of the block of four flatted dwellinghouses number 34A, 34B, 34C and 34D Boyd Court aforesaid, the extent of which flatted dwellinghouse is shown coloured red and hatched black on the plan annexed and signed as relative hereto, ....."

"All and Whole that flatted dwellinghouse known as and forming 34D Boyd Court, Kilmarnock in the County of Ayr forming part of the block of four flatted dwellinghouses number 34A, 34B, 34C and 34D Boyd Court aforesaid, the extent of which flatted dwellinghouse is shown coloured red and hatched black on the plan annexed and signed as relative hereto....."

This verbal description meets all of the criteria for accurately identifying a flat or unit within a tenement or flatted building, and therefore can be accepted for registration.

A postal address is provided for the flat,
the floor levels are given,
and the location on those floors is given by reference to an acceptable deed plan.

The deed plan meets the criteria for accurately identifying a property on the cadastral map and can be accepted for registration. It is at an appropriate scale, is drawn to scale, has a north arrow, and contains sufficient surrounding detail to identify the extent of the flat accurately within the building.

This verbal description combined with the information contained in the deed plan meets all of the criteria for accurately identifying a flat or unit within a tenement or flatted building, and therefore can be accepted for registration.

A postal address is provided for the flat,
the floor levels can be identified from a combination of the deed and the deed plan,
and the location on those floors is given by reference to an acceptable deed plan.

This verbal description meets some but not all of the criteria for accurately identifying a flat or unit within a tenement or flatted building, and therefore cannot be accepted for registration.

The description contains a postal address for the flat and the building and describes the property as a flatted dwellinghouse, but it does not give any details of the floor level or levels within the text of the deed. The deed plan shows the words "upper floor" and this could potentially be used but neither the text of the deed nor the deed plan describe the other level so this description is not sufficient.

In addition, the deed plan meets some but not all of the necessary criteria for accurately identifying a property on the cadastral map, and therefore cannot be accepted for registration. Although there is a location plan and a north arrow, it does not have a scale bar or quoted scale so we cannot be certain it is drawn to scale. Also, it does not contain sufficient surrounding detail to identify the location of the flat accurately within the building.

The flat cannot be uniquely identified from other flats in the block.

If a description such as this was accepted for registration by omitting the plans reference and relying just on the verbal description, there is a risk that a competing title could be accepted at a later date as it would not be clear which flat in the building had already been registered, particularly if the flats were re-named or re-numbered.

Exceptions to the rule

There are four scenarios where we can use a little more discretion with regards to the three criteria for a verbal description, and a common link between the first three types of exception is that all of these flat or unit types have their own external door. The risk of a street number being changed is much lower than the risk of an internal numbering/naming system being altered. There are other reasons why we have agreed practice around these property types and they are explained below. The final exception scenario relates to leases of part of a tenement.

Exception for 4-in-a-block flats

In these blocks, all the flats have their own unique postal address and also have their own external front door (in other words, they are not accessed via a common close or common stairs). A description such as "...23 Carlton Place, Irvine KA12 8HR on the upper floor of the block 21, 23, 25 and 27 Carlton Place..." would be acceptable in a 4-in-a-block despite the lack of compass orientation provided that we are satisfied that there is only one no. 23 within the block and that all flats in the block have their own external front doors. These types of block are generally built to a similar pattern with consistent numbering, and there is also another guidance page on how we can use more discretion when identifying the extent of the tenement steading cadastral unit for 4-in-a-blocks.

Exception for Main door flats

Some blocks of traditional tenement flats have a common door or entrance giving access to those flats on the upper floors, but the one or two ground floor flats have their own external front door so are not accessed via the common entrance. They will normally have a different street number than the flats entered by the common close. There are two scenarios when we can use a little more discretion when deciding what is an acceptable verbal description of a main door flat.

If there is only one main door flat in a block, then "...the main door flat 25 of the block 25 and 27 Easter Street, Wemyss Bay..." would be acceptable despite the lack of floor level or location/compass orientation - the inclusion of the description "main door flat" together with the postal address is enough of a unique description to differentiate it from all the other flats in the block. Although it doesn't state a floor or a location, only that part of the block occupied by the main door flat can be understood to be included within that description, so it can't be confused with that part of the building occupied by, for example, a first floor flat entered by the common close.
If there are two main door flats in a block, then although we can take a roughly similar approach to the single flat example above, we also need to be able to differentiate between the two main door flats. "...the westmost main door flat 25 of the block 25, 27 and 29 Easter Street, Wemyss Bay..." would be acceptable despite the lack of floor level - the inclusion of the description "main door flat" together with the postal address is enough of a unique description to differentiate it from all the flats in the block entered by the common entrance, and the inclusion of the description "westmost" is enough of a unique description to differentiate it from the other main door flat.
For clarification, if there are two main door flats in a block, a description such as "...the main door flat 25 of the block 25, 27 and 29 Easter Street, Wemyss Bay..." would not be acceptable as it does not distinguish between the two main door flats.
This same exception scenario may also apply to sunk or sunk area flats with their own external front door and steps down from pavement level, rather than basement flats which are accessed via the common entrance. If you are unsure, please speak with a referral officer.

Exception for Shop premises

Some tenement blocks have shop (or office premises) on the ground floor with residential flats above, with the flats being entered off a common close or stairs. As with main door flats, the shop will normally have a separate external door and a different street number than the flats entered by the common close. There are two scenarios when we can use a little more discretion when deciding what is an acceptable verbal description of a shop or office premises.

If there is only one shop in a block, then "...the shop premises 142 of the tenement 142 & 144 West Road, East Linton..." would be acceptable despite the lack of floor level or location/compass orientation - the inclusion of the description "shop premises" together with the postal address is enough of a unique description to differentiate it from all the other flats in the block. Although it doesn't state a floor or a location, only that part of the block occupied by the shop premises can be understood to be included within that description, so it can't be confused with that part of the building occupied by, for example, a first floor flat entered by the common close.
If there are two shops in a block, then although we can take a roughly similar approach to the single shop example above, we also need to be able to differentiate between the two shops. "...the northmost shop premises 142 of the tenement 140, 142 and 144 West Road, East Linton... would be acceptable despite the lack of floor level - the inclusion of the description "shop premises" together with the postal address is enough of a unique description to differentiate it from all the flats in the block entered by the common entrance, and the inclusion of the description "northmost" is enough of a unique description to differentiate it from the other shop.
For clarification, if there are two shops in a block, a description such as "...the shop premises 142 of the tenement 140, 142 and 144 West Road, East Linton..." would not be acceptable as it does not distinguish between the two shops.

Exception for Lease of part of a tenement

If your application is to register a lease of part of a tenement, and your application contains a verbal description and refers to a plan (see the section above Verbal descriptions of flats combined with a reference on a deed plan), then there is an exception that can be applied in certain circumstances. If the deed plan showing the leased premises does not meet the Keeper's requirements for mapping, we can treat the reference to the plan in the description as pro non scripto and work solely with the verbal description of the leased premises.

This is possible because of the Keeper's policy of incorporating the whole of the lease deed (with any plans) into the title sheet by reference to the deed in the archive record. Even if not shown as a plans reference on the cadastral map, the information contained in the lease plan(s) is not “lost” when the Keeper uses only the verbal description as the whole deed effectively forms part of the title sheet. This exception to normal policy applies to the scenario of leases within tenements and to the associated APR application (if one exists).

It must be stressed, however, that we can only proceed on the basis of the verbal description if that verbal description is acceptable (see above).

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