Mortgage deeds no longer viewable online

Britons are now no longer able to view online versions of mortgage deeds and leases following the completion of the Land Registry's three-month review of its Land Register Online website.

The government department carried out the study following reports that the availability of such documents had led to fraudulent activity taking place on the site.

As of midnight yesterday, anyone wanting to look at or obtain copies of this kind of document will need to write to the Land Registry directly.

"People can be confident that their property ownership is safeguarded by the state because if someone is a victim of fraud, we have a comprehensive compensation scheme in place to put things right," said head of corporate legal services Mike Westcott-Rudd.

"It is important to strike a balance between on the one hand making the system accessible, and simplifying the process of conveyancing, and on the other hand ensuring that appropriate safeguards are written into the system," Mr Westcott-Rudd stated.

The average price of a home in the UK is currently £183,896, according to the latest house price index from the Land Registry.

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