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19 June 2008 / Dr Nicholas Ryder
Issue: 7326 / Categories: Features , Property , Housing , Commercial
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Bursting the mortgage bubble

Dr Nicholas Ryder and Dr Clare Chambers discuss how to best tackle mortgage fraud particular, a firm is required to “take reason

According to the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), the level of mortgage fraud in the UK is approximately £700m a year. Mortgage fraud is becoming increasingly popular with organised criminals, who will seek finance through a number of property transactions. In many instances, when the mortgage repayments are unpaid and when the mortgage provider seeks the monies owed, the organised criminals raise another mortgage with a separate provider and sell the property back at a higher valuation. The first mortgage is repaid together with the arrears, leaving the organised criminals with a significant profit due to the over-inflated second mortgage.

Other types of mortgage fraud include false property valuations by fraudulent surveyors, counterfeit applications based upon counterfeit forms of identification, mortgage applications supported by falsified pay slips and P60s that are often supplied by illegal websites and corrupt conveyancing professionals assisting organised criminals.

The findings of ACPO report are

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Flint Bishop—Charlotte Harris

Flint Bishop—Charlotte Harris

Sheffield expansion continues with appointment of commercial property partner

Browne Jacobson—Paul Duggan

Browne Jacobson—Paul Duggan

Browne Jacobson strengthens banking and finance practice with latest partner appointment Paul Duggan

Ward Hadaway—Chris Piggott

Ward Hadaway—Chris Piggott

Employment partner joins Ward Hadaway

NEWS
The Law Society RFC Festival of Sport returns next month, bringing together legal and financial services professionals for one of the sector’s largest annual sporting events
Legal aid deserts leave almost one in four without adequate access to justice
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has warned solicitors and law firms that using artificial intelligence does not alter their professional obligations, amid concerns over inaccurate legal material and client confidentiality
From forgotten interest claims to case-management appeals, a string of procedural developments offers useful—and occasionally cautionary—lessons for practitioners

Jonathan Fisher KC highlights that it now accounts for around 40% of criminal offences, with roughly 70% involving technology, and argues that the UK cannot simply prosecute its way out of the problem. Detection, investigation and prosecution all require improvement, while different fraud types demand tailored responses.

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