Frustrating Property Fraud

In England and Wales the Land Registry system is open to public view. Since October 2003 the Land Registry has dispensed with paper land certificates and scanned documents have replaced original documents in online applications to the Land Registry to register a dealing. From this summer original documents are no longer required with postal applications. Many conveyancers are concerned that, with these changes, property fraud is going to increase.

Who is particularly vulnerable to fraud?

Anyone can be the victim of fraud, but there are certain categories of people and property more vulnerable than others:

• owners who do not live at their property (eg, elderly owners who have moved into care homes, those working abroad, a co-owner who has moved out following a break-up with a partner and holiday home owners);