What is the Property Alert Service?
Your property is probably the most valuable asset you own so it is important to protect it from risk of property fraud.
The Land Registry has set up a free Property Monitoring Service that can be used to check whether a registered property could be at risk of fraud.
You can sign up to the service and you will then receive e-mail alerts when certain activity occurs on your monitored property.
You can monitor up to 10 registered properties in England and Wales and it does not have to be a property that you own, which means you can monitor a property for a relative.
What is Property Fraud?
Property Fraud is where fraudsters attempt to acquire ownership of your property, most commonly by pretending to be you and selling or mortgaging your property without your knowledge.
Most people do not realise that it is easy for fraudster to find out who owns a property, their correspondence address and property details through the Land Registry website.
Fraud within property transactions is on the rise and therefore it is very important that you do what you can to protect yourself.
Who is more at risk of Property Fraud?
You are more at risk if your property:
- is rented out
- is empty or vacant
- is mortgage-free
- is not registered with the HM Land Registry.
How do I sign up?
To create a free Property Alert account, you can visit the Land Registry website, or if you do not have online access, you can contact the Property Alert team by telephone.
You will initially receive a verification e-mail from the Land Registry, and you will need to activate your account by clicking on the link in the e-mail.
Once you have created your account, you must sign in and add the properties you wish to monitor. You will need the address or the title number of the property.
You must ensure that your contact details are kept up to date to ensure that the Land Registry can reach you should any suspicious activity occur. If your details are not up to date, you may not receive the alert.
If you require any assistance in creating an account, please contact our offices on 01633 242526 or e-mail the department at conveyancing@hpjv.co.uk and we will be happy to help.
When will I get Property Alerts?
You will receive an alert, normally sent by e-mail, each time there is significant activity on the property you are monitoring such as a new mortgage is taken out against the property or there is an application to change the ownership.
The alert will tell you the type of activity, who the applicant is and the date and time it has been received.
Not all alert e-mails you receive will relate to suspicious or fraudulent activity, and if you do not think the alert e-mail is about any suspicious activity then you do not need to do anything. However, if you receive an alert and you believe it to be fraudulent or suspicious activity, you should take swift action.
The Property Alert will not automatically stop fraud from happening therefore you will therefore need to act quickly if you decide that the activity on your property is potentially fraudulent.
The e-mail will confirm who to contact should there be cause for concern.
What if I no longer want to be registered to the service?
You can ask for your account to be closed by contacting the Data Service Team at the Land Registry by e-mail or telephone and they will de-activate your account upon request.
What should I do if I think I am a victim of property fraud?
If you think you may be a victim of property fraud, you should contact the property fraud line on 0300 006 7030 (Monday to Friday 9:30am to 5pm) or email reportafraud@landregistry.gov.uk
If you have any questions or require any further information on the application process for the Property Alert Service or require any assistance in creating an account, please contact our offices on 01633 242526 or e-mail the department at conveyancing@hpjv.co.uk and we will be happy to help.
