Land Registry Launches Property Alert Service

Are you worried about your property being used for fraudulent purposes? The Land Registry now has a free service to help you.

The Land Registry has launched a property alert service in a bid to fight property fraud.

The new service allows owners to register a total of three properties for monitoring, and any applications made to the Land Registry to change the register or requesting an official search will be flagged up to the registered owner with an email alert.

Owners can then judge if the activity is suspicious and act immediately if they feel they may be the victims of fraud, e.g. if a bank lodges a search on the owners property without them having applied for a mortgage.

The service is the latest measure by the Land Registry to combat property fraud and builds on the Property Fraud line that was set up in 2013, which has seen over 1,000 people receive assistance.

The properties flagged as at a high-risk of fraud are empty properties, those that are involved in familial disputes or changes, tenanted properties where the owner lives elsewhere and properties without a mortgage, the last one making up nearly half of all registered residential properties.

Alasdair Lewis, Director of Legal Services, said: " Following a successful trial of Property Alert, we hope that many homeowners will want to sign up for this new free service to help them protect what is probably their most valuable asset.”

To use the service, set up a free online account with the Land Registry here.

For advice on anything to do with owning your home please contact any member of our Residential Conveyancing team.