House with private garden that isn't legally owned?

milliebear00001

Hi there

I am going to view a house at the weekend that was on the market previously, but was 'sold' before I could view. The same has fallen through, after survey, and although the agent couldn't confirm it, I believe it is because the garden with the property is not actually legally possessed by the house owner. The Rightmove details are now changed to suggest the house only has communal space outside.

The agent suggests the vendor has had sole use of her fenced off space for several years, and that she is currently in the process of obtaining legal title for it. I don't intend to offer until that title is achieved, but I wondered how long such a process is likely to take? Anyone have any ideas? Would anyone buy such a property without title and just hope that the garden use remains the same?

SimonMrGreenWard

milliebear00001 wrote: »

Hi there

I am going to view a house at the weekend that was on the market previously, but was 'sold' before I could view. The same has fallen through, after survey, and although the agent couldn't confirm it, I believe it is because the garden with the property is not actually legally possessed by the house owner. The Rightmove details are now changed to suggest the house only has communal space outside.

The agent suggests the vendor has had sole use of her fenced off space for several years, and that she is currently in the process of obtaining legal title for it. I don't intend to offer until that title is achieved, but I wondered how long such a process is likely to take? Anyone have any ideas? Would anyone buy such a property without title and just hope that the garden use remains the same?

12 years I think is time until it becomes hers. Imagine if someone comes along and says you can't use the land anymore, how much will the property be worth then?

milliebear00001

SimonMrGreenWard wrote: »

12 years I think is time until it becomes hers. Imagine if someone comes along and says you can't use the land anymore, how much will the property be worth then?

Well, I think it's overpriced now. In my town though, there are lots of houses with only communal outdoor space, and many are 'fenced off' informally by the owners living around them. The values don't seem massively different unless a garden is especially large (even private gardens attached to these houses tend to be yards/patio gardens).

clg86

We just bought a house where our garden is part communal and part ours. We had to pay for an indemnity policy in case anybody said we couldn't use the yard bit anymore. Very unlikely, and it is all fenced off like it's part of our garden, but it isn't a bit issue for you I don't think...