Protecting your property with the Land Registry

14 March 2010



Did you know that around 30 per cent of land in England and Wales is unregistered? Whether you own a residential or commercial property, it is important to ensure that it is registered at the Land Registry and that you keep your contact details up to date as a way of safeguarding ownership of your investment.

When a property is registered in England and Wales, details of the proprietor (who is normally the owner of the property) are entered on the register together with their address. If the Land Registry needs to contact the owner for any reason, they do so at the address given.

However, if the address is not kept up to date, vital information may not reach the owner. For example, if a third party is making a claim on the property such as registering a mortgage or even claiming adverse possession of the property, the Land Registry will need to send a notice to the proprietor.

The consequences of not receiving notice that someone is trying to claim ownership of your land are far-reaching. The likelihood is that they will succeed and it will be an expensive process to recover your interests.

"Those most likely to be at risk are commercial property owners, people who no longer live at the property or buy-to-let landlords. It is possible to register up to three addresses at the property and it is worth doing so," advises Michael Larcombe, property partner at B P Collins. "Whilst having an up to date address may not prevent fraud, it could assist."

For further information on registering your property please contact the property practice on 01753 279087, complete the online enquiry form or email comproperty@bpcollins.co.uk.