The Land Registry has announced a new service called Property Alert, the aim of which is to help the public protect themselves against property fraud. The Land Registry has been seeking to increase protection against property fraud in recent years and this is another one of their measures.

Essentially, it is a free property monitoring service for anyone who might be concerned that their registered property could be at risk from fraud. It will be particularly useful in respect of empty properties, which can be targeted by fraudsters.

The Land Registry will send those that sign up to the service email alerts, when it receives official searches and applications against monitored properties. Subscribers can have up to three properties monitored, and can add or delete the properties that are being monitored, so long as they do not exceed three properties.

The Land Registry is still trialing the service, with the aim of testing and improving it based on feedback, before publicising the service more widely.

For more information on how to safeguard one's property against fraud, see Land Registry Public Guide 17 - How to safeguard against property fraud.

Source: Land Registry: Property Alert Trial Service (14 November 2013).