Be Careful Working Away

[ASB]

One problem is LR title is absolute. The new owner does indeed in law own it. Provided they were also an unwitting victim.

[vetran]

One problem is LR title is absolute. The new owner does indeed in law own it. Provided they were also an unwitting victim.

Agree that is an issue. Calls for a change in the law surely?

If I buy anything else via Fraud I don't own It I have stolen it.

[BlasterBates]

To be fair between the new owner and the old owner it is a civil matter. The new owner now owns the house and probably hasn't done anything illegal. However the police are now investigating fraud which if proven will mean the original owner will be able to get his house back or compensation from the conveyancers, but I presume through the civil courts. The difference between buying a stolen bike and a house is that it went all went through a soliciter and land registry. This makes it "legal".

[vetran]

If I buy a stolen car via a dealer its not mine. Why would a house be?

[SueEllen]

If I buy a stolen car via a dealer its not mine. Why would a house be?

The laws governing it are different.

[SueEllen]

Have to wonder if there's something not being reported if they were able to obtain things like driving licenses in the chap's name.

There will be.

Post can be intercepted which is why RM should not screw around with what routes posties do, as regular ones tend to know who live where.

Also if you leave your home empty for a while it is best to get on with a couple of neighbours or someone who lives nearby who can check on it once a week.

[vetran]

The laws governing it are different.

yes and I suggested they should change. See previous posts.

[BlasterBates]

If I buy a stolen car via a dealer its not mine. Why would a house be?

I suspect you do get your house back, but it's somewhat more complicated due to it being legally determined by the land registry. A car is different, you still legally own it.

[BlasterBates]

I would imagine that if someone stole your car but had a contract of sale, which you were tricked into signing and a plausible story that the police might just say it was a civil matter.

[d000hg]

Seems quite an audacious attempt given how long it takes a sale to go through.

A good time to remind people about this notification service - it will ping you of anything happening to the addresses you enter: https://propertyalert.landregistry.gov.uk/