Proposal by Digger - Baja Shard

A few suggestions for the "Title" concept by Digger - Baja Shard
(Credit for many of the underlying concepts go to Smaug Provis)

A "Title"
After the new system is implemented, the use of a deed to create and place a building generates a "Title" and 2 normal keys for the building. One key and the Title to the building is placed in the character's backpack and a duplicate key is placed in the character's bank box. The Title to the building is considered a registered and legal document, justifying it being treated the same as "newbie" items. (non-stealable, stay-with-the-ghost)
Create the concept of the following 4 player relationships to a building.
- Owner - A player character who posseses the Title for a building, either on their person on in their bank box.
  Via Owner's menu can change the building sign text, set building policies for tenancy and visitors, change building locks and lock down contents. Can also sell the Title to a Player Character or to an NPC Architect.
- Tenant - A player character who has been granted tenancy by the Owner.
  Refreshes building by double-clicking on sign or by opening door with key. Can instant-logout with or without a key.
- Visitor - A non-tenant who enters a building with the policy Visitors Welcome.
  Can enter building without being flagged criminal. Can instant-logout with a key. Refreshes building by opening door with key.
- Trespasser - A non-tenant who enters a building with the policy No Trespassing.
  Will receive a criminal flag upon entry to the building which will last for duration of stay +2 minutes. Should receive a Criminal Query (if enabled in UO.CFG) prior to entry into the building and the criminal flag being set, allowing them the option of not entering the building. Cannot instant-logout even if possessing a key to the building.
The Owner of a building manages his/her property via the Owner's Menu. This menu is accessed by double-clicking the Title or by double-clicking the building's sign when the Title is in their possession or in their bank box. If line-of-sight is not enforced, the menu would then be accessible from any floor in the building. Accessing the menu via the Title or sign should also refresh the building and its contents. A Owner is always a tenant of the building. This tenancy cannot be revoked, only transferred via sale of the Title.
Owner's Menu:

Tenant Management Sub-menu

Allow/disallow Tenant Applications
By double-clicking on a building's sign, if Tenant Applications are allowed, a non-tenant would receive a dialog box asking if they wish to submit a Tenant Application. (Single-click on the sign shows building status as Vacancy/No Vacancy)

Review/approve Tenant Applications.
Allows Owner to review and approve/dissaprove any tenant applications which are pending.

Grant Tenancy
Brings up targeting cursor which can be used to select any character present, granting them tenancy.

Review/evict existing Tenants.
Allows Owner to review existing tenants and remove any/all of them.

Visitors Welcome/No Trespassing
Dictates whether non-tenants (including ghosts) will be flagged as Criminal upon entry to the building and for the duration of their presence in the building plus 2 minutes. (Changes in this policy should not apply to persons already within the building so as to prevent potential abuse.)

Change Sign Contents
Update the text on the building's sign.
Building Security Sub-menu
(For each of the following assess a nominal charge, say 100gp, which is assumed to go to the Tinker's Guild.)

Create a new, unique key and lock.
Target a door to create a new key in the Owner's backpack which is the only key which fits the lock. All previous keys still exist, but are useless.
Re-key lock to an existing key.
Use targeting cursor to identify an existing key which will then (along with any duplicates of that key) be capable of opening the lock. Previous keys for the lock become useless.
Remove lock.
Makes door as if no lock exists on it. Can be reversed using either of the two options above.
Lock down/free up item. (No Tinker's Guild fee)
Makes an item non-movable or movable.

Remove building feature.
(Double confirmation on the following option)
Remove house features such as training dummy, forge etc.

Title Name:
Make the name of a Title be "Title to the <house type><, named 'sign contents',> located at <sextant coordinates>".
e.g. "Title to the Stone and Plaster House named 'Joe's Pad', located at 10�56'N 7�25'E"
or if not a named dwelling,
"Title to the Castle located at 10�56'N 7�25'E"

This would help a potential Title buyer verify what he is buying. It would also discourage players from always carrying Titles around with them, as it would allow someone snooping their pack to see where their building is located.

Default Policies:
Make the default policy for buildings when created or converted be - NO VACANCY, NO TRESPASSING.

Results of Clicking on Building Sign:
1. Single-click
  1. Owner
    Displays Building name, Vacancy/No Vacancy, Visitors Welcome/No Trespassing, "You hold the Title to this building", decay status.
  2. Tenants
    Displays Building name, Vacancy/No Vacancy, Visitors Welcome/No Trespassing, "You are a tenant of this building", decay status.
  3. Others
    Displays Building name, Vacancy/No Vacancy, Visitors Welcome/No Trespassing, decay status.
2. Double-click

Sale of Title.
The Owner can sell a Title to a player via the Trade Window, or to an NPC Architect . To help with the existing housing glut, an NPC Architect should always have the funds to buy a Title. Architect pays 1/2 base value, direct deposited to bank, and demolishes building.
Possible Scenarios

Player run "Inn of the Wilderness" - Player places house in a desirable wilderness location. Sets sign text to "Rooms for Rent, 100gp/month, ICQ xxxxxxxxx". Sets house policy to Vacancy, No Trespassing. Removes lock on front door. A thief could enter to see if any valuable have been left unsecured, but would run the risk of a tenant returning and seeking retribution.

Mage Tower - Tower built with pooled funds. Contributors to the project designated as tenants. Tenants furnish building lavishly and tile the floor of the Rune Library with runes for popular locations. Owner locks down furnishings and runes. Removes front door lock. Sets policy to No Vacancy, Visitors Welcome. General public can freely make use of the facilities, but can't steal anything. Any tenant can keep the building and its contents refreshed by double-clicking the sign.

Mining Consortium - Group of miners pool funds to buy a Blacksmith Shop and place it near a mine. Contributors are designated as tenants. Owner unlocks front door and sets policy to No Trespassing, No Vacancy. Consortium members have a "safe haven" within which they can smelt, log off with or without key and secure if under attack.

Joe the Hermit - Buys a house and places it within the guard zone of a town. He leaves the house policy the default of No Vacancy, No trespassing. Bert the Thief hides on Joe's porch and follows Joe into his house when he returns from adventuring. Bert is flagged as a Criminal. Joe yells "Guards" and gleefully loots Bert's steaming corpse.