Property Fraud – The risk is REAL!
It is vital to protect your property from the ever-increasing risks of property fraud.
The article below shows how a property can be stolen, with ownership transferred, and there is also the very real risk of fraudsters creating a mortgage against your property without your knowledge.
We recommend that all our clients purchasing or remortgaging their properties, protect their properties from fraud by instructing us to:
- Enter a Property Fraud Restriction on their property on completion -ensuring that only you can allow dealings with the property in the future.
- Enabling the Land Registry Property Alert System – which will alert you of any dealings with the property in the future.
We are here to help you – please ask your Conveyancer to put these anti-fraud measures in place for you.
Property Fraud Case Hits the News as Homeowner Reclaims Stolen House
Property fraud is on the rise in the UK, and a recent case has brought the issue into sharp focus. Back in 2021, fraudsters managed to sell a home that wasn’t theirs by using false identification to open a bank account in the real owner’s name. After four years of legal back-and-forth, the rightful owner was finally reinstated on 11 March 2025, when the County Court ruled in his favour. This article outlines the key details of the case, the legal implications for those affected, and the practical steps that both homeowners and property professionals can take to help protect against similar incidents.
Reverend Mike Hall was working away when he was notified that strangers were occupying and renovating his home. His possessions had been cleared out, and the person who had unknowingly purchased the property was legally recognised as the new owner. This launched a lengthy and distressing legal battle as Mr Hall fought to reclaim his home. Although the Land Registry eventually reinstated him as the rightful owner, the challenges didn’t end there. In 2023, he returned to find squatters living in the property, armed with a fraudulent tenancy agreement, prompting yet another legal fight to secure their removal.
How can I protect my property?
At Convey Law we recommend that clients safeguard their transactions using the following services that help to protect them against the very real threat of cybercrime:
Cyber Crime Verification Product
The Cyber Crime Verification Product is provided to all clients and performs essential verification checks to confirm the authenticity of the conveyancers or lawyers acting on the other side of the transaction, as well as validating both parties’ bank account details.
Proof of Identity Restriction
We would recommend that we register a Proof of Identity Restriction on your property at the Land Registry. A Proof of Identity Restriction can help prevent fraudulent activity on your property. Your Conveyancer will need to confirm that any application to the Land Registry was made by you, the property owner, protecting you against identity fraud.
Property Alert Service
The Land Registry Property Alert Service enables property owners to monitor activity on up to 10 registered properties in England and Wales. You don’t have to own the property, so you could monitor the property of an elderly relative for example. Alerts are normally sent to you via email. Example alerts include: The attempted registration of a mortgage or the attempted sale of the property.
Other ways we protect you
Additionally, Convey Law has set new benchmarks for tackling cybercrime in the property industry—becoming the first legal practice to integrate with HM Passport Office, the first to complete an electronic exchange of contracts and Code for Completion, and the first to achieve Cyber Essentials Plus Accreditation. These achievements reflect an ongoing commitment to cyber security and the protection of clients during their property transaction.
One in Ten People Are Now the Victim of Cyber Crime and over the last 2 years more than £10.5million was lost by homeowners through cyber fraud.
If you have any concerns or would like to explore ways to stay vigilant against property fraud, please do not hesitate to contact your conveyancer for support.