Published 19 August 2026 · Reviewed 27 October 2026 · FormLL
If you own a property in England or Wales and live abroad — whether as an expat, overseas investor, or part-time UK resident — and that property has a Form LL restriction, you will need to obtain a Certificate of Compliance before any sale, remortgage or transfer can be registered.
The good news: the process is entirely remote. You do not need to be in the UK. You do not need to visit a solicitor's office. Everything is done by video call from wherever you are.
Why Overseas Owners Often Have Form LL Restrictions
Properties owned by people who do not live at the address are among the highest-risk for property title fraud. Overseas owners are particularly exposed because they have no visibility of activity at the property — post may go uncollected, neighbours may not know the owner, and the property may be vacant for extended periods.
Many purchase solicitors add a Form LL restriction automatically when acting for overseas buyers, recognising this elevated risk. If you bought through a diligent firm, the restriction may have been added without you fully understanding what it was at the time.
How the Verification Works from Abroad
The process is identical wherever you are in the world:
- Book through formll.co.uk and pay the fixed fee
- A specialist solicitor is confirmed within 24 hours
- They contact you by email to request your mortgage offer or TR1 and arrange the video call
- You join the video call on Zoom, Teams or Skype from wherever you are — you just need a camera and internet connection
- The solicitor verifies your identity against your passport or driving licence
- The certificate is signed, scanned and emailed to you
- You forward it to your UK solicitor
Time Zones and Scheduling
Our solicitor network is flexible on call times. If you are in Australia, the US, the Middle East or anywhere else, we will work around your time zone to find a suitable slot. When booking, note your location and preferred calling times and we will make the arrangements accordingly.
What You Need
- A valid passport — UK driving licence also acceptable if you have one
- Your mortgage offer or TR1 form — your UK solicitor can provide this
- A working internet connection and camera — any device works
- If joint owners: both must be on the same call, wherever they are
One of the most common scenarios for overseas owners is a UK property being remortgaged while the owner is working abroad. FormLL handles this routinely. The 15-minute video call fits easily into any working day regardless of time zone.
Get your fixed fee confirmed
Tell us what you need. A specialist replies by email with your fixed fee and next steps — no obligation.
Start my enquiry