It is important to take the necessary steps to protect your land and property from fraud.

You are at a higher risk if:

• Your identity has been stolen
• You rent out your property
• You live abroad
• The property is empty
• The property is not mortgaged
• The property is not registered with HM Land Registry

HM Land Registry offers a free property alert service to help protect against fraud. This service monitors properties that might be at risk of fraudulent sale or mortgage. You can monitor up to ten properties through this service.

The alert service is available for any property in England or Wales registered with the Land Registry. Once you register, you will receive email alerts about specific activities on your properties, such as when a new mortgage is taken out, so you can act if needed.

For properties in Scotland or Northern Ireland, you will need to check different registers.