Found an abandoned property - need advice

p_m

Hi all

I've found a property that i feel is not in use - google images show the property in the same state since 2008, it's very obvious nobody is living there. 

I have downloaded a copy of the property title from the land registry and it states the below.

Proprietorship register - Only entry date is 1985-07-25

Charges register - 

1	1985-07-25	REGISTERED CHARGE dated 1 July 1985 to secure the moneys including the further advances therein mentioned.
2	2007-11-09	Proprietor: BANK OF SCOTLAND PLC (Scot. Co. Regn. No. SC327000) of Halifax Division, 1 Lovell Park Road, Leeds LS1 1NS.

I'm looking for some assistant with what this truly means to someone looking to purchase the property and how i might go about doing so.

Is the property still owned by the pair named on the proprietorship register, or is the property now owned by the bank?

How would someone go about trying to buy this in both scenarios if it is clearly not in use. 

Thank you

GDB2222

The charge is for the mortgage. You would contact the owners as listed on the LR, if still alive.  You can also ask the neighbours.

I’m not sure what you hope to achieve? Do you expect them to sell it cheaply?

user1977

p_m said:

How would someone go about trying to buy this

In the same way as you buy any other property - you contact the owners and ask if they'd be interested in selling.

p_m

What if the owners have passed away? Does the land registry update to show this, or just when the property moves to its next ownership? 

I'm looking to purchase the property to renovate it, there will be money to be made on this in this particular area. If nobody is living there and haven't for a long time then i expect whoever has ownership probably would be open to a discussion about selling. I'm not sure on the process of how to contact someone about this if there is nobody there, this is why i'm trying to establish who owns it and if anyone has any tips on the process as i'm new to this.

Tiglet2

p_m said:

Hi all

I've found a property that i feel is not in use - google images show the property in the same state since 2008, it's very obvious nobody is living there. 

I have downloaded a copy of the property title from the land registry and it states the below.

Proprietorship register - Only entry date is 1985-07-25

Charges register - 

1	1985-07-25	REGISTERED CHARGE dated 1 July 1985 to secure the moneys including the further advances therein mentioned.
2	2007-11-09	Proprietor: BANK OF SCOTLAND PLC (Scot. Co. Regn. No. SC327000) of Halifax Division, 1 Lovell Park Road, Leeds LS1 1NS.

I'm looking for some assistant with what this truly means to someone looking to purchase the property and how i might go about doing so.

Is the property still owned by the pair named on the proprietorship register, or is the property now owned by the bank?

How would someone go about trying to buy this in both scenarios if it is clearly not in use. 

Thank you

Whoever is named at B: Proprietorship Register 1 is the owner of the property.
Whoever is named at C: Charges Register is the mortgagee - i.e. Bank of Scotland

Section62

p_m said:

Hi all

I've found a property that i feel is not in use - google images show the property in the same state since 2008, it's very obvious nobody is living there. 

I have downloaded a copy of the property title from the land registry and it states the below.

Proprietorship register - Only entry date is 1985-07-25

Charges register - 

1	1985-07-25	REGISTERED CHARGE dated 1 July 1985 to secure the moneys including the further advances therein mentioned.
2	2007-11-09	Proprietor: BANK OF SCOTLAND PLC (Scot. Co. Regn. No. SC327000) of Halifax Division, 1 Lovell Park Road, Leeds LS1 1NS.

I'm looking for some assistant with what this truly means to someone looking to purchase the property and how i might go about doing so.

Is the property still owned by the pair named on the proprietorship register, or is the property now owned by the bank?

How would someone go about trying to buy this in both scenarios if it is clearly not in use. 

Thank you

Contact the local council's 'abandoned' property team and let them know.  They will investigate and see whether anything can be done to bring the property back into use, it it has indeed been 'abandoned'.

However, just because it looks unloved doesn't mean it has been abandoned.  It could still be someone's home, or there could be a reason why it is uninhabited at the present time. I wouldn't say it was obviosuly abandoned just from the external view.

Also, if you've noticed it then it is almost certain that other people have too - and quite likely many others with similar ambitions to yourself.  Potentially with greater knowledge and the skills needed to acquire the property if it does come to market.

With quite some effort you may eventually be able to acquire the property for somewhere around market value, which is why I suggest contacting the council.  At least that way if you aren't sucessful yourself you'll have the satisfaction of knowing the property went to someone who needed a home, rather than a property developer out to make a quick buck.

Section62

p_m said:

If nobody is living there and haven't for a long time then i expect whoever has ownership probably would be open to a discussion about selling.

In my experience the opposite is more likely to be the case.

Typically property doesn't become run down and/or uninhabited without there being a complicated backstory, which quite often makes a quick/easy sale impossible.

74jax

I'd send a note via royal mail and give it a month and then contact the council abandonment dept. 

It might be a deceased property and a redirect has been set up with royal mail. If you just post it through the door the Executor may not be collecting post as they have a redirection set up.

You could ask neighbours about it. 

DE_612183

have you looked up 192.com - that normally has the electoral register?

TripleH

Are those yellow and white things warning stickers in the windows?

GDB2222

p_m said:

What if the owners have passed away? Does the land registry update to show this, or just when the property moves to its next ownership? 

I'm looking to purchase the property to renovate it, there will be money to be made on this in this particular area. If nobody is living there and haven't for a long time then i expect whoever has ownership probably would be open to a discussion about selling. I'm not sure on the process of how to contact someone about this if there is nobody there, this is why i'm trying to establish who owns it and if anyone has any tips on the process as i'm new to this.

There’s money to be made only if the owners are prepared to sell cheaply. There’s no evidence to suggest that.