Protect your land and property from fraud

You can take steps to protect your property from being fraudulently sold or mortgaged.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

You’re more at risk if:

  • your identity’s been stolen
  • you rent out your property
  • you live overseas
  • the property’s empty
  • the property is not mortgaged
  • the property is not registered with HM Land Registry

Your property will be registered if you bought it or mortgaged it since 1998 - check the register if you’re unsure.

You must tell HM Land Registry if information in the register is incorrect, for example if you change your contact address.

You can track changes to the register or put a restriction on your title if you think you’re at risk.

Track changes to the register

You can sign up to get property alerts if someone applies to change the register of your property, for example if someone tries to use your property for a mortgage.

This will not automatically block any changes to the register but will alert you when something changes so that you can take action.

You can get alerts for up to 10 properties - there’s no fee.

Put a restriction on your title

You can stop HM Land Registry registering a sale or mortgage on your property unless a conveyancer or solicitor certifies the application was made by you.

Your conveyancer or solicitor may charge you for providing a certificate if one is required by a restriction on your property.

Business owners

Fill in a request for a restriction if you’re a company owning property.

Send your application to the address on the form - there’s no fee.

If you do not live at the property

Fill in a request for a restriction for owners not living at the property if you own the property privately - there’s no fee.

If you live at the property

Fill in an application for a restriction. It costs £40.

Send completed forms to the HM Land Registry Citizen Centre.

HM Land Registry
Citizen Centre
PO Box 74
Gloucester
GL14 9BB

HM Land Registry will tell you when they add the restriction.

If you’re a victim of property fraud

Contact the HM Land Registry property fraud team if you think you’re the victim of property fraud.

HM Land Registry property fraud team
reportafraud@landregistry.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 006 7030
Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm
Find out about call charges

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