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Unowned land

hi there, for the past year I have been looking into a piece of land that has been sitting isle for a very long time. I have contacted the local council who say the land is not there’s, they said try the local laird who owns various pieces of land in the area but I’ve drawn a blank with this to. I have also contacted land registry Scotland who have sent me information from the registry and the old Sasine search. There isn’t any document which represents this piece of land. I am now at a point of don’t know what direction to go in or what action I need to take. If I can acquire the land, I am hoping to turn it into a training facility to help employability in my area. Any guidance or help would be appreciated 


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Comments

  • princeofpounds
    princeofpounds Posts: 10,396 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Land is always owned by someone under UK law. Normally a map search at the land registry is how you discover ownership. But it may well not be registered, if it hasn't been transacted since registration became compulsory.

    If that's the case, it really is a matter of detective work. Ask at the nearby pub, neighbouring properties, local elderly people with long memories etc. If that draws a blank, then there isn't much you can do unless you decide to occupy the land and apply for adverse possession a decade down the line. Sometimes starting to mess around with the land is enough to make the real owner pop up, but it doesn't tend to start negotiation off in the best manner...
  • AdrianC
    AdrianC Posts: 42,189 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    There is no such thing as "unowned" land. You just don't know who does own it. There's no centralised record prior to land registry, and maybe the owner doesn't know, either.

    Adverse possession is the way in which you can gain ownership. Because it's Scotland, it's different rules to England and Wales, but you will need to have exclusive use of it for a fairly substantial number of years before you can apply to own it.
  • greatcrested
    greatcrested Posts: 5,925 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 7 July 2020 at 1:06PM
    If it's an island, what is the access like?
    I doubt it is unowned. If genuinely not privately owned it will belong to the Crown.
    I assume this is Scotland?
    Not sure if Adverse Possession law north of the border is the same as south?
    Googled:


  • I have checked with land registry Scotland, there is no information detailing this piece of land however they do say that surrounding lands are owned by the weymss estate. But the weymss estate doesn’t have record of this land. Both pieces of land either side of it were sold off some years ago by the weymss estate. I’ve drawn a blank of where to check next.  
  • I would like to own it, but the need is more to use it as it has lay dormant for many years. 
  • AdrianC
    AdrianC Posts: 42,189 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I have checked with land registry Scotland, there is no information detailing this piece of land however they do say that surrounding lands are owned by the weymss estate. But the weymss estate doesn’t have record of this land. Both pieces of land either side of it were sold off some years ago by the weymss estate. I’ve drawn a blank of where to check next.  
    There isn't anywhere central.

    If the estate knows who they sold the land either side to, you could ask them. Maybe they own it, maybe they know who they sold it to. If it was a company, maybe they've been dissolved or gone into administration. If it was an individual, maybe they died and left it to somebody, or sold it, or lost it in a poker game. Maybe nobody alive actually knows for sure and can prove anything.

    There simply is no easy way to trace the ownership.
  • NinjaTune
    NinjaTune Posts: 507 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 500 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    If it's an island, what is the access like?
    I don't think it's an island, I presume the OP accidentally typed "isle" instead of 'idle'
  • greatcrested
    greatcrested Posts: 5,925 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    NinjaTune said:
    If it's an island, what is the access like?
    I don't think it's an island, I presume the OP accidentally typed "isle" instead of 'idle'
    My week sens off hoomer.  Can get me into trouble sometimes!
  • getmore4less
    getmore4less Posts: 46,882 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper I've helped Parliament
    If no one is going to kick you off you could risk the investment and just use it the way you want(with any necessary approvals needed). 
  • RobM99
    RobM99 Posts: 2,749 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Get a "friend" to put a building or tent there, see if the owner turns up!   :)
    Now a gainfully employed bassist again - WooHoo!
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