Landlords urged to protect themselves against fraud - buy to let mortgages

27 October 2008

Those with buy to let mortgages have been warned to keep their contact details up to date with the Land Registry in order to help prevent becoming the victims of fraud.

Heather Edwards from the organisation has highlighted the fact that landlords who have properties standing empty are the "typical victims" of mortgage fraud.

She urged them to update their details with the Land Registry so that the body can contact them if there is any evidence of fraudulent activity.

"Generally speaking it is the empty properties that fraudsters target, properties that don’t have an owner in residence," she revealed.

Ms Edwards also said that homes that do not already have a mortgage attached to them are often targeted.

The Land Registry is a government department that oversees the transfer of ownership of land - as well as property transactions - in England and Wales.

A recent investigation by Channel 4 found that the Land Registry paid out £4 million to the victims of mortgage fraud last year.