An analysis of HM Land Registry data by client due diligence platform Thirdfort has found that almost 860,000 homeowners have registered for HMLR’s fraud prevention Property Alert service. But despite a steady increase in the number of people signing up for the alerts, Thirdfort estimates just 3% of eligible homes are covered.
Thirdfort’s founders Olly Thornton-Berry and Jack Bidgood say the number of people using the service is encouraging, but they are urging more homeowners to sign up. The pair founded Thirdfort after a friend lost £25,000 to fraud during a flat purchase and describe HMLR’s free alerts as vital in the fight against fraudsters.
Olly Thornton-Berry commented:
“It’s hugely encouraging that more people are taking proactive steps to protect themselves from property title fraud. The Property Alert Service is a simple but effective way of reducing risk, and this steady growth over more than a decade shows that awareness is improving.
“Fraudsters are becoming more sophisticated, and all property owners should be vigilant. Services like HM Land Registry’s alerts are a vital line of defence. At Thirdfort, we’re proud to work with over 1,500 conveyancers, estate agents and law firms to help safeguard society against fraud.”
The Property Alert service enables home owners to register up to 10 properties and receive email notifications when HMLR receives an application to alter the register, allowing proprietors to spot suspicious activity and act swiftly.
However, the uptake remains low relative to the size of the UK property market. Thirdfort’s analysis shows that of approximately 28.6 million households in England and Wales (based on ONS data), current registrations may account for just 3% of homes.
‘This suggests that millions of properties – particularly empty, tenanted, or mortgage-free homes, which are most vulnerable – may still be at risk of fraud’, Thirdfort warned.
HMLR has said it received just 86 fraudulent applications to create or update the Land Register in 2024/2025. With a total of 4.4 million applications received over the same period, they account for just 0.0019% of the total.
But while property fraud in England and Wales remains relatively rare, HMLR acknowledges that the impact on individuals can be devastating. The organisation encourages all property professionals to advise homeowners to sign up for the Property Alert service, along with applying to add a Counter Fraud restriction to titles and keep contact addresses up to date.
Nick Sharp, deputy director fraud at the NCA’s National Economic Crime Centre, said the campaign represents a vital part of the NCA’s strategy to raise awareness of property fraud. He added:
“Solicitors and conveyancers are the first line of defence in protecting both themselves and their clients from becoming victims.”
