The true picture of property fraud in England and Wales

Whilst recent media stories may have left homeowners fearing that property fraud is increasing dramatically, we can confirm that thankfully it remains relatively rare, in part due to some simple steps that people can take to protect their property. 

What is property fraud? 

Property fraud takes various forms, from bogus landlords letting out properties they do not own to a criminal stealing a property owner's identity and using it to make a fraudulent application to HM Land Registry (HMLR) to register change of ownership or a mortgage deed, for example.  

The scale of property fraud and what we are doing about it 

In 2024-25, we received 4,429,092 applications to create or update the Land Register, of which only 86 were identified as fraudulent. That’s just over 0.0019%.  

But, whilst the scale of attempted property fraud is relatively small, we know the impact of property fraud on the individuals concerned can be devastating. 

As well as continually reviewing and updating our fraud-detection methods, including ensuring all necessary documentation is provided and in order, we work in close partnership with other agencies across government and the property sector to raise awareness and help combat criminal activity.  

Examples of frauds HM Land Registry has stopped  

We received an application to transfer ownership of a bungalow with a value of £360,000 – significantly below the average for the area. The owners were notified of the application by Property Alert and, on visiting the property, discovered the locks had been changed and a For Sale sign put up.  

They got in touch with us, and we cancelled the application to transfer ownership.  

In another example, we received an application to register a £200,000 mortgage on a terraced house. But the owner – who didn’t live at the property - said they had not made a mortgage application. We immediately cancelled the application.  

How much fraud has HM Land Registry prevented?  

In the financial year 2024-25, HMLR prevented the registration of fraudulent applications against more than £59 million worth of property.  

Between 2020 and 2025, we prevented fraudulent applications against more than 300 properties worth over £194 million.   

What happens if a fraud takes place? 

Our state-backed guarantee (indemnity) protects homeowners whose properties are registered with HMLR, should they become a victim of registered title fraud. The scheme offers compensation – indemnity payments - if someone suffers a loss for a mistake in the register that is put right.  

In the financial year 2024-25, we made 4 payments totalling £398,964.  

It’s important to note that indemnity payments made may not relate to applications made in that same year as fraud can take time to detect, investigate and put right. 

What can you do to safeguard your property?    

Homeowners can also play a crucial role in combatting fraud by remaining vigilant and we encourage them to:   

Register the property if it isn’t already registered. See Registering land or property for the first time for more details  Keep contact address information up to date, so we can reach you when we need to. You’ll find further information here: Update registered owners' contact address (COG1)   Sign up to our free Property Alert service. You will then receive an email each time there is significant activity on the property you are monitoring, such as if a new mortgage is taken out against it. If the activity looks suspicious, you should take action immediately. Not all alert emails will mean fraudulent activity. If you don’t think the alert email is about any suspicious activity, you don’t need to do anything.  Follow the online advice on our property fraud prevention page on GOV.UK: Protect your land and property from fraud  Consider applying to add a Counter Fraud restriction to any titles you own. This requires additional checks when you come to sell, lease or mortgage the property. See this blog for further information: Form LL – the ‘counter-fraud’ restriction  

How to report property fraud   

If you think you’ve been the victim of property fraud or suspect fraudulent activity in respect of your own or someone else’s property, call our dedicated property fraud line (which also offers a Welsh language service).  

Call us on 0300 006 7030 Monday to Friday, 8am to 4.30pm.  

Wider government advice to guard against fraud          

We work closely with various government organisations to combat fraud and amplify anti-fraud messages. Whilst our remit is to combat property fraud in the lodging of fraudulent applications for registration, we also want to help people avoid fraud of any kind – so do check out the Home Office’s advice and guidance at Stop! Think Fraud - stay ahead of scams . 

Summary: 

Property fraud is a serious issue that can have a devastating impact on people’s lives but remains relatively rare.  Out of more than 4.4 million applications HM Land Registry received in 2024-25 to create or update our property register, only 86 were identified as fraudulent.  In 2024-25, HM Land Registry paid less than £400,000 in indemnity payments relating to 4 fraud and forgery claims.  HM Land Registry has a number of measures in place to help combat fraud, but property owners can also take steps to protect themselves.