It is clear that fraud on the Land Registry is increasing and takes various forms. Recently, there were pictures in the newspapers of an incident in a London street. The number plates on cars in the pictures were pixellated. Fair enough, I thought, given that the number plate might be used to trace an owner for any reason.

It made me think how much detail we can all now access at the registry, merely with a postal address or even just a postcode. On tap for a little outlay are property details, freehold or leasehold, names of the owners and addresses, purchase price paid, and so on.

In the ‘old days’ access to registry details of a particular property could only be gained by an authority to inspect, issued by the registered proprietor. Perhaps it would not be a bad idea to revert to that system.

Anthony D Miller, Miller Clayton, Stanmore, Middlesex