Gifting a wash house

Forgoodensake

We have moved into a terraced cottage 6 weeks ago. The neighbour's to the right of us have our run down wash house attached to their wash house. They have been trying to get their hands on this for the past 30 year's but, the previous owner would not let them have it because they couldn't stand each other.

We have their run down brick toilet in our garden which gives them a right of way through our garden. They asked us as soon as we moved in if we would let them have the wash house, we said we had no objection to this as long as they gave up their right of way to their toilet in our garden. We have no desire to keep this wash house, neither do we want any money for it (just don't want the hassle of it all)

We told them, that everything would need to go through a Solicitor to make everything legal and that we have a small mortage on our property and might need the go ahead from our lender. We also told them, any expenses incurred would have to be met by themselves as we were gifting the wash house to them.

Here's the problem, they turned up today with forms already filled out by the Land Registry for us to gift the wash house (with no mention of their right of way, or their toilet) on the forms. They pointed out where we would need to sign and that the other neighbours would be the witness the signing. They said it would only cost them 40.00. We are annoyed they have taken it to this level, when we told them we would need to ask our lender and that we would expect Solicitors to be involved.

Can I please have some input from yourselves. Maybe I am being over the top.

Thank you.

pinkfluffybabe

I’d chase them and do as you originally intended. Better to get the advice you need than sign away without checking.

Bit cheeky if you ask me!

G_M

Do not sign.

You need this to be an exchange, not a gift. In return for the wash house you want two things:
1) ownership of their brick toilet and
2) removal of their right of way.

tell them that you will take their forms to your solicitor for his advice, and for amendment to include the above two things. However you will need them to formally agree to pay your legal costs.

Go and see a solicitor - you'll get 30 mins free usually. Explain the background, and ask the solicitor for a form/letter /whatever you can give the neighbour to sign which will commit them to paying his fee.

Once your neighbour has signed this, and not before, ask your solictor to draw up the relevant documents for the exchange.

It might be best to invite your neighbour to tea (bake a nice cake for them!) so you can discuss allthis amicably, rather than risk it escalating as it sounds like it did with the prevous owner!

Perhaps get the form from the solicitor for his fees before inviting them to tea so you have it all ready.

Forgoodensake

yes, I think that's why I am so annoyed because it is too cheeky for me. We have had full renovation to do whilst living in it and just think, this is the last thing on our mind at the moment.

Forgoodensake

Really good advice G M. Your thinking along the same lines as us. They offered the last owner £2,000 for it so paying our Solicitors fee should not be a problem for them. I think they must be thinking we are nice, quite people and we will just go along with it.

Cakeguts

Tell them that the form doesn't have all of the information on it yet and you will sign it when they have added what you want to it.

Also tell them that the deal is off if you don't get what you want.

I can see why they might have had trouble with the ex owner of your house they sound like a bit of a problem to me. They may have spent the last 30 years trying to get one over on the old owners of your house. The fact that they have turned up with a form with only what they want on it makes me think that they may be a bit selfish?

littleredhen

what are they planning on doing with it? converting to a granny flat maybe??

Forgoodensake

The wash house is attached to their wash house, so they want to knock the two together and make a new kitchen. Would put quite a bit of value onto their property. We have no objection to them having it as long as we get what we want and everything is done legally. We told them right from the start that we would expect Solicitors to be involved and they would need to pay if they want it.

G_M

So they will get a nice new big kitchen, adding 10s of thousands £ in value to their house.

And you will get a brick outhouse that you don't really want anyway......

Hmmmmmm....

I know what I'd be saying as I slice the chockie cake!

thelem

It sounds like this neighbour is difficult to deal with. You know they've offered £2000 for it in the past, so rather than ask them to pay the solicitors fees (which then invites arguments over exactly what work should be paid for), why not ask them for a fixed amount, and then you pay the costs out of that amount.

ProDave

Be careful giving away a bit of land.

The best example I heard was 2 semi detached houses, each with 3 metres or so of side garden.

One day, one of them says to the other, I don't need all that garden, would you like to buy it, and came to an agreement, to sell it for £3K

So the lucky new owner now had a 6 metre side garden and got planning and built a new house on it.