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Written by CribCheck, reviewed by the CribCheck inspection team. Last reviewed 18 September 2026.
Part of How to verify a landlord or estate agent before paying rent
Short answer
Ask for the ownership document and compare the name against the landlord's identification and the receiving account. Then confirm locally: ask the neighbours, the caretaker and the outgoing tenant who the owner is, and for higher-value lettings instruct a lawyer to run a land registry search.
Paper checks
- Ask which document evidences ownership and read the name and property description on it.
- Compare that name with the landlord's ID and with the account you are asked to pay.
- Where a family or estate owns it, ask who is authorised to act and on what basis.
Local checks
- Ask two neighbours and the caretaker who owns the building.
- Ask the outgoing tenant who they paid, and how.
- Ask the estate or CDA office whether the name is on their records.
When to pay for a search
For a significant sum, or where anything does not add up, a lawyer can conduct a search at the state land registry. The cost is small against a year's rent paid to the wrong person.
What to do next
Check this home with CribCheck while you are still there. Record what you see, get a condition score with indicative repair costs, and keep it to compare against other homes.
Before you pay, CribCheck it.
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