How to Become a Lord
Understand the practice., Shop around., Research the legitimacy of each company., Pick an option., Complete the form and pay the fee., Wait for your certificate., Know how to use your new title.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Understand the practice.
You can legally purchase novelty titles for as low as £29.99 ($45.87), but these titles are essentially valid in name only and don't serve any practical benefit.
Under United Kingdom law, you're legally allowed to call yourself whatever you want as long as you aren't defrauding anyone or using the name change to evade some type of legal responsibility.
In that sense, novelty titles are technically legal, even if they aren't "real" in the most traditional sense.
Instead of a title, you're actually purchasing a name change.
You would not become "Lord John Doe." Instead, it would be more accurate to address yourself as "Mr.
Lord J.
Doe."Novelty titles do not grant you a seat in the House of Lords.
Some are attached to small plots of land, but even these do not give you any land rights.
The vast majority cannot be inherited by future generations, either. -
Step 2: Shop around.
There are plenty of companies that sell novelty titles, so spend some time looking at several of them before making a final decision.
Use your favorite Internet search engine to look for agencies and other companies selling novelty titles.
Try to pull at least a half-dozen to a dozen options from your search results, then weed through these options carefully.
Pay special attention to three qualities when you compare companies: legitimacy and cost.
It may also be worthwhile to consider where your money goes.
Some companies put the funds toward conservation work on specific estates, so in essence, you're making a donation and receiving the novelty title in return., Many companies offering novelty titles are legitimate and fairly priced for the service they provide, but beware of false companies or those claiming to offer more than legally possible.
If a company claims to offer legitimate titles that come with land rights or other formal benefits, you should automatically be suspicious.
Check the contact information.
Companies that have a physical address and an actual phone number are more reliable than those with nothing but a Web presence.Look for reviews provided on external websites, but don't rely on reviews provided on the company website itself since these will likely be skewed in a favorable direction. , Each company may claim to offer slightly different packages, and some companies even offer multiple package levels.
Weigh the cost and benefits of each option before making your final decision.
Some companies may allow you to choose from several titles, including "Lord," "Baron," "Duke," "Earl," or "Viscount." None of these options offer any greater benefit than the others, though, so weigh these options based on preference alone.
Novelty titles usually sell for prices between £18.95 and £995 ($28.97 and $1521.29).
When looking at the cost between companies, those offering titles at the lowest cost may actually be best as long as the company itself is legitimate.
Since no novelty title offers any practical benefit, spending a small fortune when buying one would be ill-advised.
Some novelty titles are connected to plots of land, but you need to read the fine print.
In most cases, these titles only purchase plots that are 1 foot (30.5 cm) wide by 1 foot (30.5 cm) long, so you aren't getting much. , Once you make your decision, notify the seller and obtain the correct form.
Fill out the information completely and accurately, then turn the form back in and pay any associated fees.
In most cases, the application can be completed in 30 minutes or less, especially if you're choosing one of the lowest budget options.
You'll need to provide contact information and some basic legal information about yourself, but most applications don't require much private or detailed information. , The exact amount of wait time can vary by company, but in most cases, you should receive your novelty "Certificate of Title" by mail within several weeks.
Legitimate companies will review your application over the course of several days to verify that there are no legal restrictions preventing you from obtaining a novelty title.
Since nearly any adult can purchase one, though, you shouldn't anticipate a rejection.
When your certificate arrives, it will likely seem more formal than it actually is.
It should say something along the lines of "Title Deed Poll," and your new, titled name will appear in the center of the paper. , Since this title is little more than a name change, you are legally permitted to address yourself as a lord as long as you do not do so in a fraudulent manner.
Using your title to defraud others can get you into some serious legal trouble, though.
You can add your new title to your passport, driver's license, bank account, credit card, and most other legal or formal accounts by filling out the appropriate paperwork for those documents.
Effectively, though, you're only adding the title to those documents in the same way you'd change your given name on them.
Many sellers of novelty titles also claim that you can give your title during your everyday life in an attempt to get a little “extra” service, like the best restaurant reservations or better seats with an airline.
You can technically do so without getting in trouble, but the key is in how you present yourself.
Simply stating your new “title” and letting others react as they see fit is legal.
Stating your “title,” making false claims of authority because of it, and demanding preferential treatment is illegal. -
Step 3: Research the legitimacy of each company.
-
Step 4: Pick an option.
-
Step 5: Complete the form and pay the fee.
-
Step 6: Wait for your certificate.
-
Step 7: Know how to use your new title.
Detailed Guide
You can legally purchase novelty titles for as low as £29.99 ($45.87), but these titles are essentially valid in name only and don't serve any practical benefit.
Under United Kingdom law, you're legally allowed to call yourself whatever you want as long as you aren't defrauding anyone or using the name change to evade some type of legal responsibility.
In that sense, novelty titles are technically legal, even if they aren't "real" in the most traditional sense.
Instead of a title, you're actually purchasing a name change.
You would not become "Lord John Doe." Instead, it would be more accurate to address yourself as "Mr.
Lord J.
Doe."Novelty titles do not grant you a seat in the House of Lords.
Some are attached to small plots of land, but even these do not give you any land rights.
The vast majority cannot be inherited by future generations, either.
There are plenty of companies that sell novelty titles, so spend some time looking at several of them before making a final decision.
Use your favorite Internet search engine to look for agencies and other companies selling novelty titles.
Try to pull at least a half-dozen to a dozen options from your search results, then weed through these options carefully.
Pay special attention to three qualities when you compare companies: legitimacy and cost.
It may also be worthwhile to consider where your money goes.
Some companies put the funds toward conservation work on specific estates, so in essence, you're making a donation and receiving the novelty title in return., Many companies offering novelty titles are legitimate and fairly priced for the service they provide, but beware of false companies or those claiming to offer more than legally possible.
If a company claims to offer legitimate titles that come with land rights or other formal benefits, you should automatically be suspicious.
Check the contact information.
Companies that have a physical address and an actual phone number are more reliable than those with nothing but a Web presence.Look for reviews provided on external websites, but don't rely on reviews provided on the company website itself since these will likely be skewed in a favorable direction. , Each company may claim to offer slightly different packages, and some companies even offer multiple package levels.
Weigh the cost and benefits of each option before making your final decision.
Some companies may allow you to choose from several titles, including "Lord," "Baron," "Duke," "Earl," or "Viscount." None of these options offer any greater benefit than the others, though, so weigh these options based on preference alone.
Novelty titles usually sell for prices between £18.95 and £995 ($28.97 and $1521.29).
When looking at the cost between companies, those offering titles at the lowest cost may actually be best as long as the company itself is legitimate.
Since no novelty title offers any practical benefit, spending a small fortune when buying one would be ill-advised.
Some novelty titles are connected to plots of land, but you need to read the fine print.
In most cases, these titles only purchase plots that are 1 foot (30.5 cm) wide by 1 foot (30.5 cm) long, so you aren't getting much. , Once you make your decision, notify the seller and obtain the correct form.
Fill out the information completely and accurately, then turn the form back in and pay any associated fees.
In most cases, the application can be completed in 30 minutes or less, especially if you're choosing one of the lowest budget options.
You'll need to provide contact information and some basic legal information about yourself, but most applications don't require much private or detailed information. , The exact amount of wait time can vary by company, but in most cases, you should receive your novelty "Certificate of Title" by mail within several weeks.
Legitimate companies will review your application over the course of several days to verify that there are no legal restrictions preventing you from obtaining a novelty title.
Since nearly any adult can purchase one, though, you shouldn't anticipate a rejection.
When your certificate arrives, it will likely seem more formal than it actually is.
It should say something along the lines of "Title Deed Poll," and your new, titled name will appear in the center of the paper. , Since this title is little more than a name change, you are legally permitted to address yourself as a lord as long as you do not do so in a fraudulent manner.
Using your title to defraud others can get you into some serious legal trouble, though.
You can add your new title to your passport, driver's license, bank account, credit card, and most other legal or formal accounts by filling out the appropriate paperwork for those documents.
Effectively, though, you're only adding the title to those documents in the same way you'd change your given name on them.
Many sellers of novelty titles also claim that you can give your title during your everyday life in an attempt to get a little “extra” service, like the best restaurant reservations or better seats with an airline.
You can technically do so without getting in trouble, but the key is in how you present yourself.
Simply stating your new “title” and letting others react as they see fit is legal.
Stating your “title,” making false claims of authority because of it, and demanding preferential treatment is illegal.
About the Author
Rachel Sanders
A seasoned expert in lifestyle and practical guides, Rachel Sanders combines 3 years of experience with a passion for teaching. Rachel's guides are known for their clarity and practical value.
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