Purchasing Garage on Council Land - What's the worst that can happen?

VG98

Hi and thanks in advance,

I am currently buying my first house and noticed that there was a garage also being old behind the house. The garage is on council land and pays annual ground rent. However, the land is under review and I don't have good luck with anything so want to know what's the worst that can happen. There are 7 individual garages on a triangle of brownfield land that borders a small playing field which is protected by the council. There is a very badly kept gravel road that leads from the road round the back of the houses to the garages.

The brownfield could probably house a new build set of semi-detached, so the land would be relatively valuable. However it would be overlooked by 6 houses and understandably they wouldn't approve the idea so not sure how possible it would be to get planning.

I have contacted the council - Cheshire East - to ask what is the process if they decide to sell the land. So far I haven't heard back other than them confirming the garage is on their land, it is under review, and if they keep the land the agreement for renting the garage plot remains but the annual ground rent will increase accordingly.

Has anyone purchased a garage on council land and then had the council sell that land? Do the council give you any money - compulsory purchase or money to compensate? Do you get to purchase the garage plot off them? Or is it just tough luck and it goes up on the open market?

Thanks

lincroft1710

If you purchase a building but not the land on which it stands then you become a leaseholder of that building and the freeholder (land owner) should issue you with a lease. The lease will detail its length (usually a term of years), terms and conditions of the granting of the lease and the amount of the ground rent and when and by how much it can be increased.


In this case there will probably be an existing lease and you should ask your conveyancer to confirm the lease can be assigned to you or if not, will another be granted.


Until you can see the lease, you will have no idea if the garage adds any value to the price of the house or what would happen if the council decide to take back the land. For example if the lease has only 3 years left to run, then clearly the garage is worth very little.