Are you Alert to Property Fraud?

HM Land Registry are now providing a FREE Property Alert Service.

Property fraud is a bigger problem that you may think. Fraudsters are willing to take risks to impersonate you and try to acquire ownership of your property and in some instances, they have been successful.

Fraudsters acquire forged documents and use these to their advantage.

Properties most likely to be at risk from property fraud:

• Empty properties such as where the owner lives abroad or is in a care home.
• Where there are family issues, or feuds. For example, when a relative dies, a family member could try to sell a property without giving someone their proper share or in a relationship break-down someone could try and mortgage a property without their partner knowing.
• Tenanted properties – for example where the owner lives elsewhere, a tenant might try to mortgage or sell the property without the owner’s knowledge.
• Properties without a mortgage.

According to HM Land Registry, nearly half of all registered residential properties are mortgage-free. Professionals throughout the property market are now taking steps to fight back but you can help with the fight.

There has been a significant increase in the number of property owners registering to use this FREE service, but numbers remain low in comparison to the number of owned UK Homes.

The Land Registry’s Property Alert Service offers homeowners access to a simple and effective tool to help reduce the risk of title fraud. As the increase in fraud continues to rise, we recommend all homeowners to take advantage of this FREE service.

The service allows you to register to receive e-mail alerts when a certain activity occurs against your monitored properties which then allows you to act FAST.

For example, if you received an alert of mortgage activity against your property and you have not made a mortgage application, investigations can begin much earlier by seeking legal advice or contacting the mortgage lender.

Property Alert – SIGN UP NOW

You will need to set up a free online account gov.uk/guidance/property-alert with HM Land Registry.

You can monitor up to three properties. Email alerts are sent when any official searches and/or applications are received by the Land Registry against a monitored property.

What are the Benefits of Property Alert?

1. It provides an early warning of suspicious activity
2. It allows you to take immediate action if something happens to your property that you are not expecting
3. It’s FREE and easy to use

What other measures could you do to help protect yourself against property fraud?

1. Make sure your property is registered. If not, contact HM Land Registry now and they will help you register your property. We can assist but will need to charge you for doing so. Please contact us and, once we have the correct details from you, we can provide an estimate. Once registered, and HM Land Registry have up-to-date contact details, they can reach you easily. You can have up to three addresses in the register including an email address (strongly recommended) and/ or an address abroad.

2. Owners who do not live at the registered property can make a request to HM Land Registry to enter a restriction for free using their form RQ.

This restriction means HM Land Registry will not register a dealing with your property, such as a transfer or a mortgage, unless a solicitor or other professional conveyancer certifies that they have checked the identity of the person who has signed the deed.

If you are unable to register online, then you can also sign up for Property Alert by calling 0300 006 0478.

HM Land Registry operates a Property Fraud line for anyone who thinks they may be the victim of property fraud. 0300 006 7030 (Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm).

HM Land Registry’s dedicated counter fraud team work closely with the police and other agencies to help protect properties against property fraud.

As a government department established in 1862, executive agency and trading fund responsible to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, HM Land Registry keeps and maintains the Land Register for England and Wales. The Land Register has been an open document since 1990.