You asked
How many registered properties in England & Wales do not have a registered charge i.e. unencumbered?
How many owners have been victim to property fraud split by year and by region if possible?
Where are the hot points for unregistered land?
Since its launch how many fraud restrictions (form LL) have been lodged – by region?
How many fraud applications made by region?
How many fraud applications have been overturned by region?
Any trends or patterns – more prevalent in certain areas, empty properties, tenanted properties etc.
Higher percentages of relative fraud (if known)?
Any information relating to the victims e.g how long does it take for the matter to be overturned etc and funds repaid?
How many cases litigate?
We said
Thank you for your enquiry.
Unfortunately we do not hold the information relating to your request. We do publish statistics on the number of fraud offences in England and Wales recorded by Action Fraud, the latest figures for which are published in Appendix table A5 in the quarterly statistical bulletin ‘Crime in England and Wales, Year Ending September 2016:
However, while the table displays figures by type of fraud, land registry property fraud is not captured as a separate category and any such frauds that are recorded by Action Fraud are included in the published figures under ‘other regulatory fraud’ and ‘other fraud - not covered elsewhere’ which include a number of other offences. We have contacted the Home Office (from whom we receive the data on Action Fraud) and they are unable to provide separate totals for each offence under these categories.
We regret that we are unable to assist you further, however we have been in contact with Land Registry who have suggested that you refer this FOI request directly to them where it will be considered in its entirety by their FOI Officer and their Legal Department. Their contact details are:
foi@landregistry.gov.uk
Freedom of Information Officer
Trafalgar House
1 Bedford Park
Croydon
CR0 2AQ