Formalising boundary change at land registry or return the status quo?

moatmeister

Hi Everyone

I own two adjacent detached houses sharing a common driveway between them that gives access to the garages and gardens at the rear. We lived in one, "house A", for many years then got the opportunity to buy next door "house B" as a long term BTL investment. I took the opportunity to "retain" the single garage and associated access from "house B" and incorporate it into my residential property at "house A" for my own use, rejigging the fencing and access gates accordingly. Some years later, we moved out and rented "house A", still including the "adopted " garage.

The long term tenant of "house B" has handed in notice and we now are considering selling the property. I believe we have two options, either, (a) return the situation and the garage and associated boundaries to as it was, or (b) formalise the adoption of the garage with the Land Registry etc prior to the sale, leaving "house B" with off-road parking for 2 vehicles but no garage. There is quite a lot of work and costs involved in doing option (a) which I can estimate, but what is involved in doing option (b), how long might it take and what might it cost please? I have discussed retaining the garage or not with the remaining tenant in "house A" and they are not really bothered either way.

ThisIsWeird

Can you confirm what each house has? And are they similarish properties?
Unless there's a major parking imbalance without this garage being transferred to A, surely kiss, and restore/retain the original arrangement?
The other factor - again drawing towards the SQ - is whether the changed fence lines look 'wring'. Will the new owner of B always feel they 'lost' the garage?

moatmeister

Both houses are pretty identical late 40s construction ex LHA with large rear gardens. Both had small prefab single garages, side by side at the end f the shared drive running between them. Fine for an Austin A30, but only suitable for the tiniest modern car. The one at house A was put up after the house was built, of asbestos construction, semi derelict, and was correctly removed when we purchased. The one at house b was of prefab concrete construction, built by the council as an "extra" when the house was new. Separate access to both garden is by the side of the garages. The large rear garden of" house a" has been levelled out over the years, and a separate large detached garage built at the bottom. The rear garden of "house b"  is of a similar size  but terraced and would need substantial groundworks to do similar. However it could be done if required if the original situation was restored. Both houses have large front gardens as well as off road parking for two vehicles each. I don't think it looks odd, You go down the drive to a solid fence between the two houses with a people gate to access the garden of "house b" and a large gate to access the garden and adopted garage of "house a"

ThisIsWeird

moatmeister said:

Both houses are pretty identical late 40s construction ex LHA with large rear gardens. Both had small prefab single garages, side by side at the end f the shared drive running between them. Fine for an Austin A30, but only suitable for the tiniest modern car. The one at house A was put up after the house was built, of asbestos construction, semi derelict, and was correctly removed when we purchased. The one at house b was of prefab concrete construction, built by the council as an "extra" when the house was new. Separate access to both garden is by the side of the garages. The large rear garden of" house a" has been levelled out over the years, and a separate large detached garage built at the bottom. The rear garden of "house b"  is of a similar size  but terraced and would need substantial groundworks to do similar. However it could be done if required if the original situation was restored. Both houses have large front gardens as well as off road parking for two vehicles each. I don't think it looks odd, You go down the drive to a solid fence between the two houses with a people gate to access the garden of "house b" and a large gate to access the garden and adopted garage of "house a"

So A has its own new proper garage? I think that's your answer :-)

Also, from what you describe, the current official dividing line is pretty straight? I wouldn't do anything to change that - no dog-legs, no swerving of fences.

I don't think many folk will find it a positive when they look at a house to buy, and see a changed boundary, and wonder why they have 'lost' something the house originally had. And some will even feel uncomfortable dealing with their new neighb who now seemingly 'has' what was 'theirs'.

Keep it the way it is in the deeds. :-)