Land Registry websites

robatwork

I guess this is a question for the LR rep who often posts here.

Googling Land Registry the first three (sponsored) hits are to third parties who all begin their web descriptions with Land Registry.

To the uninformed, these are masquerading as the real site, and on my laptop with the extremely pale violet google are using to highlight paid ads, it isn't obvious they aren't "real" search results.

For example the first hit is:
Land Registry UK - Land Registry Title Deeds & Plans‎
Second is
Land Registry ENG & WALES - LandRegistry.land-reg.co.uk‎
Third is
Land Registry UK Online - LandRegistryOnline.net‎
Forth is
Land Registry - Land Registry for England and Wales

The forth is the real one. The third website says:
The home of official Title Documents & Property Searches

I believe they are passing themselves off as the official site and you should do something about it to stop people being ripped off....

sandsni

What is your question?

I don't think there's much anyone can do to stop people setting up websites and naming them in such a way that might confuse people at first glance, any more than they can stop supermarkets using remarkably similar packaging to branded items on their own products.

Most people are becoming aware that they shouldn't take web searches at face value and know to hover their mouse over the address to see what the real site address is. And hopefully most people know how to check and double check the information on a website before they part with any information or money.

If you think any of these sites are doing something illegal then you should report them to the police (cyber crime or whatever they call themselves these days).

G_M

This issue is

a) outside the control of the Land Registry and
b) not restricted to the Land Registry.

I bank (online) with Natwest.I'm aware there are various dodgy websites that seek to emulate the natwest website, and indeed people who send me emails claiming to be from Natwest and directing me to these websites.

When using the internet, you have to use common sense and ensure that you know exactly who you are dealing with.

artbaron

Use Firefox with ADblocker. I had to remind myself what a sponsored link was it's so long since I've seen one.

Land_Registry

Google (along with other search engines) provide a wide variety of services including the sponsored links as mentioned.

Land Registry provides a specific service using our online /postal services. The same information can also be obtained via a number of websites/companies and they pay the sponsors premium to get 'top-billing' on Google. As sandsni suggests most people are aware of the vagaries of online search tools and in the vast majority of cases they will do some research before choosing the service(s) offered.

Land Registry is though not in a position to challenge what is in effect a 'commercial activity' like many others. A product is bought at one price and sold on at a premium.

We are though able to take action where we have concerns about websites or companies which erroneously suggest that they have our endorsement or give rise to confusion because their website is similar to ours or uses our branding etc.

There is though little we can do re domain names already created as these are available in an open market. It could also be argued that it would be difficult for such companies or websites to establish a market without using terms such as title deeds or land registration in their name or services.

Over the years these websites/companies have evolved in a number of ways not only with regards their look and style but also the type of 'services' they purport to offer. Invariably though they do state that the copy documents they supply are obtained from us, the Land Registry.

Over the years we have received enquiries from customers querying non-receipt or non-response to calls/emails, where they have ordered information from these sites but have then contacted us to query the 'silence'.

One assumes that in most cases customers get what they requested, albeit at a higher price than perhaps could have been paid - if this was not happening at all then I doubt very much if these companies would still exist and/or be paying for the advertised slots on search engines?

Other posters to this forum have suggested that such companies can often attach the premium for the actual act of searching and often their online Terms and Conditions will refer to this. They may also offer additional services within the higher fee band.

Note - It is the same T&Cs and About Us pages which often include statements making it clear that they are not Land Registry and/or not endorsed by Land Registry

Finally, I would add that in the past few years we have worked hard to develop customer awareness of our official role and services, not least in participating in online forums such as MSE.

robatwork

Obviously posters to this forum are internet savvy enough to know the difference between the sponsored ads and the official site.

I would dispute that "Most people are becoming aware that they shouldn't take web searches at face value and know to hover their mouse over the address to see what the real site address is", having watched plenty of people from all age ranges, and taught a few, on internet use. Lots don't.

You wouldn't believe how many people think that typing a URL actually means "type it into google." Yes they will probably end up at the right site if they click it, but lots of otherwise intelligent people just don't get it.

I still think that "The home of official Title Documents & Property Searches" is playing with words in an underhand way akin to passing off.

LR rep thank you for your reply - I know you have posted lots of comprehensive and useful answers here before. I think you however should be more proactive in this case and ask landregistryonline to stop using the word "official". On closer inspection their small print reads "We are an autorised re-seller of the e-business land registry division suppling official title documents & other documents. " so they can't even get basic spelling right either.

Land_Registry

robatwork - over the years we have been proactive with such companies but the law, in our view, would not support a challenge along the lines you suggest.

Their use of the term 'offical' cannot be challenged as they are in effect passing on the official documents as supplied by Land Registry and do use our authorised online services to obtain such information.

Whilst we can all be prone to bad spelling it is those very same spelling-errors which should act as an additional alert to potential customers although how many read the 'small print' before proceeding is obviously unknown.

We will continue to monitor such activity although after so many years of operating the firms involved are already well aware of what they can or cannot legitimately publish on their sites.