Vicar Wins Back Home After Fraud Battle

A vicar has won his house back after four years of legal turmoil, which started when a crook stole and sold the home by impersonating the owner.

The saga started in 2021 when Reverend Mike Hall returned home to Luton after spending some time away.

Neighbours called him to tell him someone was living in the property.

He found someone had stolen his identity and sold his house for £131,000 - and, to make matters worse, were carrying out some building work.

"I tried my key in the front door, it didn't work, and a man opened the front door to me - and the shock of seeing the house completely stripped of furniture, everything was out of the property," he told the BBC.

Courts finally grant eviction order

Mr Hall complained to the Land Registry and eventually had ownership transferred into his name. When he returned to the house in 2023, a Romanian family was renting it from the bogus owner.

After trying to regain the property for some four years, Mr Hall finally won a possession order from the courts in March 2025 against 'persons unknown'. The court also ordered whoever stole Mr Hall's ID to pay the costs.

Sadly, Mr Hall could have avoided much heartache by signing up for the Land Registry's free restrictive title service.

If the property is registered, the owner is alerted that someone is trying to sell or raise a mortgage against the title.

The owner can stop the transaction until a conveyancer or solicitor confirms the application comes from the owner.

Free property protection for landlords

The service covers primary homes and investment property where the owner lives elsewhere. Landlords can protect investment property for free, while homeowners must pay £40.

The Land Registry says free title protection has stopped crooks from stealing properties worth more than £100 million.

Owners can register up to 10 properties.

Victims of property fraud can contact the Land Registry's fraud team for help by email or by calling 0300 006 7030 between 8 am and 5 pm, Monday to Friday.

Registered title fraud

The Land Registry fraud team says: "We work hard to combat property fraud, which happens when criminals target the most vulnerable properties or property owners in our society.

"This type of fraud can deprive people of their homes, lose them hundreds of thousands of pounds and have a seriously detrimental impact on their lives, often before they realise what is happening.

"When a criminal steals a property owner's identity and uses it to make an application to the Land Registry to register, for example, a forged transfer or mortgage deed, this is officially known as 'registered title fraud'."

Property owners can apply online to register against fraud:

• If you do not live at the property - Fill in a request for a restriction for owners not living at the property
• If you live at the property, apply for a restriction