Land maintenance

kenclarke

The land next to us is overgrown and causing issues of maintaining our home, villagers can't walk on the path to school and it makes our house look an eyesore. I know who it belongs to and he said he pays someone to clear it which has never happened in the 18 years we have lived here. We cleared it ourselves and he came out and complained to us. We have a car parked in one of the outbuildings on it which has been there for 15 years. The council said he has had planning permission to build a house on it since about 20 years ago although he hasn't. He claimed the land on squatters rights and agreed to sell it to us but increased the price when the time came. Can you advise how we can get the land cleared and maintained as I refuse to do it anymore and we sometimes get grief from the villagers as they assume it's ours. Thankyou.

eddddy

You could try reporting it to the council, saying that the state of the land is 'detrimental to the amenity of the neighbourhood'.

If they agree, they might serve a section 215 notice under the Town and Country Planning Act on the owner, telling them to tidy it up.

But I've no idea how bad land has to be for the council to do that. And it probably varies by council.

phill99

You can't. It is his land and you going on there to clear it constitutes trespass. Its like me asking you to cut your lawn more often.

G_M

By parking your car on hs land, you are trespassing.

By going onto his land to clear itt, you are both trespassing, and potentially causing either criminal damage and/or theft (unless you leave what you've cleared behind).

Your reference to a 'path to school' suggests there is a Right of Way across his land. Is that correct? Is this a public ROW? A Bridlepath? Or is it a right granted to specific people within his deeds?

20 year old Planning Consent will have expired, so a new application would be needed before any building could be erected.

As edddy says, the councl might enforce maintenance work, but probably only if there is a H&S issue. Peope are entitled to do as they wish with the own land, within reason.

Make sure the local villagers know it is no your land.

Rosemary7391

A little notice by your door stating that the land next door belongs to So and So of Address might reduce some of the hassle. Can't see any problem with that since anyone can pay £3 to get the land registry details and see that information for themselves - anyone else think of problems it might cause?

I'd remove your property from his land sharpish. If you're not sure what sort of path it is across his land then try the OS map view at bing.com/maps - I don't think it's definitive but it'll give you an indication if it's worth digging further for documents relating to public rights of way.

moneyistooshorttomention

Personally - I wouldnt be able to resist putting the full facts on said notice:

- This land is not mine
- It was adversely possessed by Mr X with effect from
- Mr X promised me on the following dates (listed) that he would clear it
- Should you have any further queries re clearing it contact Mr X on.....

Purely factual after all;)

patman99

Alternatively, as you have used one of the outbuildings for 15 years, why not try for adverse possession yourself. As you have cleared the land at least once and he hasn't, you might just win.

glasgowdan

What does "we sometimes get grief from the villagers" mean exactly? And if it's only a small village why don't they already know it's not your land? And why do you care what they think anyway?

Do you pay rent for the parking space for your car? What's the deal?