Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Newsroom from a report by Mortgage Solutions. Read the original article for full details.

HM Land Registry Reports 55 Property Hijacking Cases in 2025-26

HM Land Registry recorded 55 cases of property hijacking between April 2025 and March 2026, according to a Freedom of Information request submitted by Novus Strategy. Property hijacking involves fraudsters impersonating homeowners to sell a property, secure a mortgage against it, or transfer ownership using forged documents.

The report highlights that properties most at risk are those that are mortgage-free, rented out, or left empty for extended periods. In these situations, genuine owners may not notice fraudulent activity immediately, increasing the risk of successful hijacking.

Novus Strategy noted that owner impersonation fraud, while rare, is a high-impact crime. The firm raised concerns that advances in artificial intelligence could make it easier for fraudsters to create convincing fake documents, potentially making such fraud harder to detect with current verification processes.

The report also points out that no single organisation has a complete view of the property transaction process or owner impersonation risk. HM Land Registry, Action Fraud, and other bodies each track different aspects of property fraud, resulting in a fragmented approach to detection and prevention.

Novus Strategy suggested that verifying homeowners’ identities to a high standard—such as using passport NFC chip verification—could help combat fraud. The firm also highlighted the importance of accreditation for third-party verification services and the potential benefits of making verified identity information available to other trusted parties throughout the property transaction process.

A recent compliance report from SmartSearch found that more than half of UK regulated firms in financial services, property, legal, and accountancy sectors struggle to verify ownership or control of the businesses they deal with. The report cited abuse of digital identity and certified ID processes, as well as synthetic identity fraud and exploitation of personal data, as ongoing challenges.

These findings underline the need for improved identity verification standards and greater collaboration across the property sector to protect against property hijacking and related fraud.