The UK Land Registry has details of all properties and their ownership history in the United Kingdom. However, the Registry charges a small fee for the information.

Professional people-search firms and estate agents may also charge fees for this information. This information may be found for free through a number of websites, library searches and personal sleuthing.

Verify the correct postal address and postal code of the property you are investigating. The Post Office provides free postal code information on its website. Most local council websites also provide postal-code information.

Check the property’s details on websites such as Rightmove, Zoopla or Our Property. These sites give information on when the property was sold and its price at the time. You must make sure that the current owner, not the previous one, really is the person you are looking for.

Visit the offices of your local council and examine the unedited electoral roll of the current year for free. The local library may also have a copy of the current electoral roll. If the property is owned by an individual who is eligible to vote in Britain, and the owner resides in the property, he will be named on the electoral roll. People-search companies and the UK Electoral Roll charge for information from earlier years.

Search on corporate information websites such as Companycheck if your searches lead to a company that is the owner of the property. The website gives free details about the company’s directors, its financial accounts and credit status.

Tip

Ask the specialists at a local estate agent’s office about the property. Ask any approachable local residents about the property. Inquire about the property’s history at the local newsagent, church or public house.