Is your house at risk from property fraud?

Is your house at risk from property fraud?

If you own a property but do not live there e.g. the property is let to a tenant, it may be at risk from property fraud or forgery. A property fraudster may assume the identity of a property owner to try to sell the property. The Land Registry can help enable some protection for homeowners.

If you are own a property, but do not live nor intend to live there, you can apply for the Land Registry to enter a note against your deeds known as a ‘restriction’. The presence of the restriction makes it impossible for the property to be sold (or re-mortgaged) unless the conveyancer acting for the seller can certify they are satisfied the person who has signed the legal documentation is the same person as the owner of the property.

Many homeowners have opted to enter such a restriction. These restrictions will remain and cannot be removed without formal cancellation by the owner.

Alternatively, you can sign up with the Land Registry to receive ‘property alerts’ if someone applies to change the register (i.e. the electronic deeds) of your property e.g. if they try to use it for a mortgage.

If you would like our experts to advise on how you can protect your home from property fraudsters, please get in touch by calling 01752 292201 or messaging us on our live chat.

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