Ownership Beneath: Transparency of Land Ownership in Times of Economic Crime

This article considers ‘ownership beneath’ in light of the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022, which has introduced a new Schedule 4A into the Land Registration Act 2002. The legislation, with notable exceptions, requires overseas entities to publicly reveal their beneficial owners, with criminal and land law consequences if transparency requirements are not met. The article explores how ownership beneath operates and can be made more transparent, noting the three different forms of beneficial ownership employed: as control, behind a trust and as a consequence. Emphasising the distinctive nature of beneficial ownership of land, the analysis recommends amending ECTEA 2022 to focus on land ownership, not merely landowning overseas entities, facilitating greater transparency by expanding the definition of registrable beneficial owners, closing the loophole where information is not available and requiring public disclosure of most trust information.