Buying Land

T4LFR

Hi,
I have a piece of land behind my house that apparently is still owned by the original builders of my house (according to land registry). The homes were built by Wilson Connelly homes (Wilcon) back in the 90s, they were bought over by Taylor Woodrow in early 2000s and they are now Talyor Wimpey.

Question is - where the hell do you start by enquiring if Taylor Wimpey would sell me the land??? Anyone any suggestions at all?

ormus

i find writing a letter to the owners is usually best.

MX5huggy

Do you actually need to buy it?

I have 2 friends that have just started using land like this, one has taken his back fence down and the other just uses it as another space for BBQs etc.

crazyguy

If I were you I would fence the land in to your own property and after a certain time period you would gain squatters rights and the land would be yours thus saving you money !

ormus

takes 10 or 12 yrs. cant remember now.

crazyguy

ormus wrote: »

takes 10 or 12 yrs. cant remember now.

Still be cheaper than buying it !

dave82_2

crazyguy wrote: »

Still be cheaper than buying it !

Not if you end up in court over it during the 10-12 years it won't be!

DVardysShadow

dave82 wrote: »

Not if you end up in court over it during the 10-12 years it won't be!

You only end up in court if

• The current owner finds out
• The current owner is bothered about it
• The current owner writes to you and demands his land back
• You ignore him or refuse
• He is still bothered about it
• He goes to a solicitor who tells him what it could cost to get the land back
• He is still bothered about it
• He pays the solicitor to write to you
• You ignore the solicitor or refuse
• He goes back to the solicitor who reminds him how much it could cost to get the land back
• He is still bothered about it
• He engages the solicitor to take you to court
• You ignore the court papers or decide to fight

phill99

crazyguy wrote: »

If I were you I would fence the land in to your own property and after a certain time period you would gain squatters rights and the land would be yours thus saving you money !

This is a mis-guided and often mis-quoted approach.

You may have legal rights over the land after 12 years, but you will never OWN the land. The land will still be owned by Taylor Wimpey, and if you come to sell the house, it wiol come up on the searches.

Why don't you get the number of their head office and explain your position.

However, builders often retain strange bits of land as there may be long term development potential on adjoining land. If the only access to this adjoining land is over the little bit of land that the builder owns, then they can negotiate a very high value for the land. they are called 'Ransom Strips'. So you may be falling on deaf ears.

Enterprise_1701C

We have a neighbouring house where the previous owners fenced in some land owned by the council, they never objected and they eventually built an extension on it - and got planning permission from the council for it!

Tucker

phill99 wrote: »

You may have legal rights over the land after 12 years, but you will never OWN the land. The land will still be owned by Taylor Wimpey, and if you come to sell the house, it wiol come up on the searches.

As far as I am aware that's not true.

If the land has been fenced for your sole use for 12 years you can apply for the land under Adverse Possession.

If you are successful, the land will legally become yours.