How to check a landlord and property owner before paying rent

Katerina Galkina · EN · 07/10/2026

Distinguish the owner from their representative

Someone showing a flat may be its owner, an agent or a tenant offering a sublet. To check the arrangement, obtain the full address, including the flat number, the name of the proposed contracting party and an explanation of their authority. Access to keys does not establish who should receive your money.

Ask for a draft agreement, payment-recipient details and written confirmation of whom an intermediary represents. Verify an agency through independently found official contact details rather than only the number in the advertisement. If the owner's name differs from the landlord's, ask for a clear explanation: there may be a legitimate reason, but it needs checking.

Look at the Land Registry entry

For England and Wales, use the official HM Land Registry search ↗. The title register includes the registered owner's details. At the time of checking, an online copy costs £7; beware of websites reselling the same information without a clear additional service.

Check the precise flat, address and type of title. A leasehold building can have separate entries for the building and individual flat: the freeholder's entry does not necessarily identify the owner of the flat's leasehold title. If an address search produces no result, the guidance suggests an index map search. A missing result is not proof of fraud and still needs an explanation.

Understand the register's limits

An ordinary downloaded entry is useful for checking, but GOV.UK distinguishes it from an official copy ↗ intended as evidence of ownership, for example in court. Even a matching name does not establish that the person contacting you is that individual or has authority to collect money.

Check an agent's authority or permission to sublet separately. View the property and compare the photographs with the actual layout. Do not pay because of pressure about “five other applicants” while the recipient, agreement or address remains unclear. Confirm any change of bank details through an already verified channel.

Complete the checks before paying

Keep the advertisement, correspondence, draft agreement and written purpose of every payment. Checking ownership is only one part of checking a rental: separately establish the agreement type, any required property licence, deposit arrangements and mandatory documents. For an English property, start with GOV.UK's private renting guide ↗.

This search procedure covers England and Wales; Scotland and Northern Ireland have different land registers. Do not apply HM Land Registry's charges or procedure to those jurisdictions. If the proposed arrangement remains inconsistent, get independent advice before paying or signing rather than after handing over a deposit.