Neighbour wants to by part of my land. odd boundary

carlsagen

I have kind of a odd boundary, mainly because the house used to be one house.

Round the back of the houses (which are now split into semi detached cottage) my land extends all the way round. to the degree that my neighbour cannot step out of his back door without permission or i could put a table and chairs up and peer right through his window.

Lukily we are both good neighbours.

Anyway, He approached me yesterday and asked if id consider selling a small area to him so that it wouldn't be hard to sell if he ever wanted to move.

I don't need the money, but also I cannot and don't use the land and as such don't think it would my house value. But would probably dramatically change his.

Because of the strange boundary i don't really know if i should sell or if i did, what it would be worth. To me, if it paid to re roof my barn id probably sell. if it was 1-2k id probably keep it.

Is the best way to ask an agent to value with and without this plot or just ask him to make me an offer to consider? I don't really want to offend or annoy him now that we have actually spoke about a potential sale.

I have attached a picture of the plot. The pink is my yard/drive area, the purple the proposed area for sale. The green is a field that extends down 3 acres. As you can see the barn intersects a bounding that would have possible aloud him to purchase more. I am considering developing the barn to extend my dwelling into.

Thanks for the advice.

AnnieO1234

It's unclear what sort of spaces you're talking about but would there be any potential that neighbour would develop the land and in doing so being able to raise objections to future development of your own? Or indeed prevent you from managing the upkeep of the barn?

Get a valuer in or come to an amicable arrangement. I can foresee you having issues if I'm honest. The land is more valuable to your neighbour than you obviously, but he may think you're attempting to capitalise on that fact.

An easy out - tell him you'll look to sell to his purchasers at same time if they want it? Xxx

moneyistooshorttomention

- What is the pink area to the right of the barn? Is that also your land?

- Whereabouts does the neighbours back door come? (ie is it in the right-hand cut-out type section of his house or the left-hand bit)

I'm just trying to figure out what future possibilities there might be for either/both of you.

- Presumably this bit he wants to buy would give him a back garden and he doesn't currently have one?

EmmaHerts

I just wanted throw out some other options.

You could consider renting him the land for a small fee each year.

Or you could get him to sign a contract that gives him permission to use the land, but that he is aware that it belongs to you, so he can't claim it after using it for x amount of time.

carlsagen

perhaps this will help.

green - my current boundary
red - my neighbours current boundary
purple - the section he wants to buy from me.

Apologies its a little rough. The neighbours back door opens directly into the purple area.

carlsagen

EmmaHerts wrote: »

I just wanted throw out some other options.

You could consider renting him the land for a small fee each year.

Or you could get him to sign a contract that gives him permission to use the land, but that he is aware that it belongs to you, so he can't claim it after using it for x amount of time.

Thanks Emma, Hes more interested in it for a future sale than using it. I did offer that option.

carlsagen

AnnieO1234 wrote: »

He may think you're attempting to capitalise on that fact.

Yes. I would be.

eddddy

A typical way of doing this might be by looking at decrease/increase in values. For example:

If the sale...
- reduced the value of your property by £1k
- increased the value of your neigbour's property by £20k

You might negotiate a price somewhere between £1k and £20k (depending on who's the better negotiator, who's more desperate, who's 'nicer' etc.)

You could include covenants about boundary fencing, no development etc, if you wished.

And you need to think about who pays legal costs, for both buyer and seller.

Lord_Baltimore

That area is of no use to you unless you want to be a really intrusive neighbour which you don't.

I'd sell it if the price made it worth it and you shouldn't underestimate the value of a happy neighbour.

What he's prepared to pay is the issue. My guess is he will attempt to under value because of its position and because you have more land you (apparently) do nothing much with.

If he's prepared to pay to persuade you, it could be better to have money in your bank rather than fallow land outside his back door.

p.s. were you ever a Blue Peter presenter?

carlsagen

Thanks all for the advice.

eddddy - i thought this perhaps the best way as you suggest, since the difference in value will likely come from a 3rd party. If its enough to make me want to sell i will.

Lord Baltimore - You are right. The only purpose it serves to me is to waste my time going round and strimming the weeds, which makes me feel like I'm trespassing. It feels very intrusive as i can see right in his house.

Blue peter... Where did you pluck that from?

Will update you on what he says / value is.

jimbog

He has respected that the purple area as being yours. Worse case scenario: what if a new neighbour/tenant started to place patio chairs/washing lines etc out there - how would you 'police it?' - put a fence around it and thus blocking up his rear windows? Would you be prepared for such a fight?
I would sell it but with covenants allowing you to undertake maintainence of your outbuildings