selling part of the garden?

johannis

Hi, hoping someone on here has some experience or expertise on this question I have,
we have a very long garden, all the houses on our road do. the houses directly behind have really small gardens. ridiculous historical anomaly. 
Ever since we moved in the people who live directly behind have made overtures about buying some of ours. They've now made an offer.
I’m not a gardener, all I do is keep it back. We have never done anything with the back portion of the garden (which must wind them up even more) and I am sympathetic to their plight.
They are looking to buy a plot that is roughly 3m x 4m, the garden is 50m+ in length so not much.
While I’m sympathetic, I don't want to affect the potential resale of my property? it'll be shorter than my neighbours (who I suspect would be against me selling for the precedent it creates) and if planning permission was needed I suspect it could get messy.
They've offered £2.5k + legal costs? it feels low to me especially as I’m in two minds on the whole thing.
Can anyone give me a steer?

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

It doesn't sound as if you want to sell, if so decline their offer. 

I wouldn't worry about other neighbours (or planning permission as I don't think it applies to selling a parcel of land), if you have a mortgage you should contact them to discuss the plans of selling.

Do you need £2.5k? If such an amount doesn't make much difference to your finances or life then I wouldn't sell personally. 

Mistral001

If you are in two minds, then you need the best information you can get about the implications for you and your property, so as to make a decision.  That, in my opinion, can only be obtained by seeing a solicitor and surveyor now, before you do anything.  Do not try to make such a big decision on the cheap. 

Gavin83

I really wouldn't worry about what the neighbours think or what the house at the back thinks. It's your land and entirely your choice (within legal boundaries) what you do with it. If they're upset with the size of their garden they shouldn't have bought the house. Don't let yourself be pressured into a decision you don't want to make due to worrying what others think.

You also don't need planning permission to sell a piece of land, just to build on it.

It's entirely your choice. If you want to sell it go ahead, if you want more ask for more or if you wish to keep it do that instead. Given the size of the garden I doubt selling off such a small portion of it will affect the value of your house but as pointed out it might be worth speaking to a surveyor. Or just refuse the request if it's too much hassle.

NeverTooLate

And if you do decide to sell it, make sure that a convenant is written in so that it can't be built on in future.

Chickereeeee

How about a written agreement giving them access to the end of your garden, but not ownership? The fence would be moved, but not the boundary (although you may still need a boundary fence, with gate). The agreement would make it clear that any future owner with not have to abide by by it.

womble12345

Call up a local estate agent and ask them if they know how much its likely to knock off your property value, that will be some free advise. I did this when considering converting part of my garage into a utility room to make sure I wouldnt be devaluing my property by doing it.

silvercar

If you have a mortgage you will need the consent of your lender. Your lender may then want a valuation. You or your buyer will need to pay your legal fees and the plot lines will have to be re-drawn for land registry. Easiest would be to separate off the are that you are selling onto separate deeds, so it can be sold as its own parcel of land. 
You would definitely want something written into the deeds to prevent a house being built right on the boundary line.

johannis

Thanks very much for all that, lots to go at there, i was planning to ring a local estate agent so good to have that reinforced. They have already offered to cover legal fee's. I'm of a mind to help them out and while the money isn't a particular issue i think i ought to try and find out what a fair price would be? As mentioned it would be unlikely to make much difference to the value of our property but i suspect it would to theirs?
More digging i think!

Grenage

Value is subjective.  For example my garden is about 4 x 6m shorter than others due to the land being sold for garages.

I would pay a lot more than 3k to have that space back.

TELLIT01

I doubt selling 4 metres of a 50 metre garden would have a negative effect on the value of the property.  Those wishing to purchase it may want it in order to build an extension on their own property.  The land isn't directly for that purpose but would potentially enable them to keep a decent garden after the 3 metre depth of permitted development is occupied by an extension.

If that is their reasoning I would suggest that the land is worth more than a couple of grand to them.

I did find the comment "the houses directly behind have really small gardens. ridiculous historical anomaly." odd even if the houses were all built at the same time.  Not all properties have ever been built with 'standard' size gardens.  We have a 50 metre garden and those behind us about 15 metre but they were built at different times.