Is this a ransom strip

davidmcn

I suspect it's just a measurement error - possibly within the margin of error for mapping. Often it isn't obvious where older title plans ought to be "anchored" on the Ordnance Survey map, so if you fix the rectangle to the back fence and the measurement is slightly short, that's what you'd end up with. I doubt anybody identifiable will have title between the title and the public road.

Has your solicitor offered any advice? No point simply "reporting it" to the lender, the lender will just ask the solicitor to find a solution.

jimbog

https://ibb.co/mGPVcbr
https://ibb.co/n0kVwbD
https://ibb.co/VTfSBbz

Winter_Phoenix

It's not quite possible to see from any of your pictures, but I'm guessing that the tarmac area across the footpath leads from your drive to the road (without a grassed area between the two).

If so, it would be a very unsuccessful "ransom strip" as it could never prevent access from the house to a public highway.

I can't see that there is anything to worry about.

DS0001

Yes the drive is fully connected to the road so it is as I thought. The solicitor is making a bit of a mountain out of a mole hill.

AnotherJoe

Well, thats what they do.

da_rule

If the land does form part of the current sellers front garden and is fenced in then they could (depending on how long they’ve lived there) make an application to register it on the basis of adverse possession.

They could then also provide you with an appropriate indemnity insurance policy. This would suffice for most lenders.

ForumUser

You need the adopted highway map.

I have recent experience of a very similar case. The council compulsorily acquired land for a road widening scheme. The 2nd world war intervened and after the war, the road was widened, but less than originally planned. The 75cm strip which was not used was retained by the council under a separate title and forgotten about. Councils are legally bound to extract the maximum value from land that they own. Luckily I was able to lodge a successful adverse possession claim but it still cost a couple of thousand pounds in legal fees.

Land_Registry

The map posted in #3 is taken from our MapSearch service for professional users. It's indicative only so it's the title plan you would be using to check/confirm the registered extent.

I suspect it's not going to differ much but the map you have is simply there to help a user get to the right title information, inc title plan, without having to get us to do a formal search

In this case if the title plan bows inwards as well then the next step is to check if the land is registered as others have suggested. Very unlikely it is of course as it would be shown in pink on the map. But as it's indicative only to be 100% certain they'd do the extra search.

Once that's confirmed then the other considerations may apply, especially is it part if the public/adopted highway?
I can't see how it can be a ransom strip though looking at it's position and the development already in place inc your property and that of your neighbours.

markin

https://ibb.co/mGPVcbr


I can see that yours is set back around 6inch in this photo so the map is correct.

ethank

Ransom strips are not usually at the front anyway, as most services pass the house at the front.