bona vacantia/ intestacy to unregistered land

NoseyParkersHelper

Dose anyone know what has happened to unregistered land to someone who has died with out a will or relatives. 

Any interesting stories please?
Thanks

elsien

What do you want interesting stories for - other people  doing research for you? 

Devongardener

I just pasted your opening sentence into Google and there is endless information there, it’s not difficult to research!

propertyrental

OP wants interesting stories - so will have to wait till bed-time....

RHemmings

I asked Chat GPT to write an interesting story about unregistered land which had belonged to someone who died without a will or relatives. This is what it gave me.

Story: "The Forgotten Acres"

In the rolling countryside of Somerset, there lay a parcel of unregistered land that had been forgotten by time. The land, lush and fertile, had once belonged to an old man named Arthur Fennel. Arthur was a solitary figure, a farmer who had lived a quiet life, tending to his fields and animals with little need for company. He had no close relatives, and as far as anyone knew, no one had ever visited him.

When Arthur passed away suddenly, the village mourned in their own way, but soon, life moved on. The land remained untouched, its ownership unclear, as Arthur had never written a will or mentioned any relatives. As seasons changed, the once-pristine fields began to grow wild, the farmhouse slowly decayed, and the land seemed destined to fade into obscurity.

However, Arthur’s land did not remain forgotten for long. A group of local historians and conservationists, intrigued by the mystery of the land’s ownership, began to delve into its history. They discovered that the land was unregistered, meaning it wasn’t recorded in the Land Registry, a common occurrence for some old properties in rural England.

The historians petitioned the local council to preserve the land, fearing it might be claimed by developers or remain in legal limbo. As per UK law, land without a known owner can eventually revert to the Crown through a process called "bona vacantia." This was a long and bureaucratic process, often taking years. During this time, anyone with a legitimate claim could step forward.

But no one came. The village’s curiosity grew, and they collectively decided to transform Arthur’s land into a community project. With the council’s tentative approval, they began to clear the overgrown fields, repair the farmhouse, and restore the land to its former glory. It became a community farm, where locals could grow vegetables, tend to animals, and teach children about agriculture and sustainability.

The transformation was slow but steady. The farmhouse became a small visitor center and library, chronicling the history of the land and Arthur’s life. The fields once again flourished, providing fresh produce for the community. The farm became a place of learning, where people from all walks of life could come together, share stories, and build new memories.

Years later, as the farm thrived, a distant relative of Arthur’s was discovered. A great-niece, who had moved to Australia many years ago, heard about the land through an old family letter. She traveled to Somerset, curious to see the legacy her uncle had unknowingly left behind.

Upon her arrival, she was welcomed warmly by the villagers. She saw the vibrant community that had blossomed from the forgotten acres, and rather than claim the land for herself, she chose to honor Arthur’s memory by formally donating it to the community. The legal transfer was completed, ensuring that the farm would remain a community resource for generations to come.

The story of Arthur’s land, once forgotten and neglected, became a testament to the power of community and the enduring legacy of those who live quietly but leave a significant impact. The forgotten acres were forgotten no more, a thriving symbol of unity and shared purpose.

I think it makes a point that everyone will have relatives, even if not direct living family. 

AlexMac

Brilliant reply Hemmo!  (As indeed are all your more serious responses). 

But I’d have liked it more if there had been a final plot twist. So that instead of Arthur’s great niece being such a generous, benevolent goody-goody, we could have had some of the darker elements which characterise the classic European folk and fairy tales?  Think Grimm and Perrault?  Or even Shrek? Or Rapunzel without the long hair?

You know; a Bluebeard/ Beast / Wicked Step-parent figure comes storming in, repossesses the Community Idyll, lays it waste  / logs it and builds a Solar Array / Fracking mine / Cruelly intensive Veal - Pig - Chicken battery / Nuclear power station…?

Well, the OP did want “stories”?

BikingBud

What about the nefarious actions of the large multi-national mining conglomerate who have been undermining and exploiting the rich copper deposits. That only came to light due to the increasing number of sink holes occurring and swallowing herds of cows, sheep and wild ponies! 

Luckily the Famous Five were camping locally and Timmy found the secret entrance to the mine and alerted the local bishop who had just come over for a picnic, lashings of ginger beer.

It turned out that the leader of the gang was pretending to be the senior conservationist but in fact was a nasty piece of work who all along was working for the mining company.  He knew all about the underground copper and only pretended to want to conserve the land to ensure it didn't get sold to a rival mining company.

Thankfully due to Timmy's inquisitive nose, all the baddies were arrested and were sent to jail.

RHemmings

AlexMac said:

Brilliant reply Hemmo!  (As indeed are all your more serious responses). 

But I’d have liked it more if there had been a final plot twist. So that instead of Arthur’s great niece being such a generous, benevolent goody-goody, we could have had some of the darker elements which characterise the classic European folk and fairy tales?  Think Grimm and Perrault?  Or even Shrek? Or Rapunzel without the long hair?

You know; a Bluebeard/ Beast / Wicked Step-parent figure comes storming in, repossesses the Community Idyll, lays it waste  / logs it and builds a Solar Array / Fracking mine / Cruelly intensive Veal - Pig - Chicken battery / Nuclear power station…?

Well, the OP did want “stories”?

Thanks. I passed your request onto Chat GPT asking it to rewrite the story as you suggested. This is the response:

Story: "The Forgotten Acres"

In the rolling countryside of Somerset, there lay a parcel of unregistered land that had been forgotten by time. The land, lush and fertile, had once belonged to an old man named Arthur Fennel. Arthur was a solitary figure, a farmer who had lived a quiet life, tending to his fields and animals with little need for company. He had no close relatives, and as far as anyone knew, no one had ever visited him.

When Arthur passed away suddenly, the village mourned in their own way, but soon, life moved on. The land remained untouched, its ownership unclear, as Arthur had never written a will or mentioned any relatives. As seasons changed, the once-pristine fields began to grow wild, the farmhouse slowly decayed, and the land seemed destined to fade into obscurity.

However, Arthur’s land did not remain forgotten for long. A group of local historians and conservationists, intrigued by the mystery of the land’s ownership, began to delve into its history. They discovered that the land was unregistered, meaning it wasn’t recorded in the Land Registry, a common occurrence for some old properties in rural England.

The historians petitioned the local council to preserve the land, fearing it might be claimed by developers or remain in legal limbo. As per UK law, land without a known owner can eventually revert to the Crown through a process called "bona vacantia." This was a long and bureaucratic process, often taking years. During this time, anyone with a legitimate claim could step forward.

But no one came. The village’s curiosity grew, and they collectively decided to transform Arthur’s land into a community project. With the council’s tentative approval, they began to clear the overgrown fields, repair the farmhouse, and restore the land to its former glory. It became a community farm, where locals could grow vegetables, tend to animals, and teach children about agriculture and sustainability.

The transformation was slow but steady. The farmhouse became a small visitor center and library, chronicling the history of the land and Arthur’s life. The fields once again flourished, providing fresh produce for the community. The farm became a place of learning, where people from all walks of life could come together, share stories, and build new memories.

Years later, as the farm thrived, a distant relative of Arthur’s was discovered. A great-niece named Clara, who had moved to Australia many years ago, heard about the land through an old family letter. She traveled to Somerset, curious to see the legacy her uncle had unknowingly left behind.

Clara arrived in the village with a warm smile, but beneath it lay a cunning mind. She saw the vibrant community that had blossomed from the forgotten acres, but instead of feeling joy, she saw opportunity. The villagers, unaware of her true intentions, welcomed her warmly. She quickly made it known that she intended to claim the land as her own.

Clara's arrival brought unease to the village. She began to lay plans for a luxury resort, aiming to capitalize on the idyllic setting. The community farm, which had become the heart of the village, was threatened with demolition. The villagers were heartbroken and desperate to find a way to save their beloved farm.

One night, Clara, smug with her newfound power, decided to visit the old farmhouse alone. As she walked through the moonlit fields, she stumbled upon an old journal hidden beneath a loose floorboard. It was Arthur’s diary, filled with entries about his life, his land, and a final, cryptic note about a secret treasure buried somewhere on the property.

Greed took hold of Clara, and she spent the next days obsessively searching the land. The villagers, observing her frantic behavior, began to piece together what she was after. They quietly rallied together, searching for clues in Arthur’s writings and memories of his tales.

Finally, one of the children discovered an old map hidden in a library book, pointing to a spot near the ancient oak tree at the edge of the farm. The villagers gathered there at dawn, and Clara, having followed them, pushed her way to the front, demanding the treasure.

As they dug, they unearthed a small, rusty chest. Clara greedily opened it, only to find a note in Arthur’s handwriting: “The real treasure is the community we build.” Clara, furious and defeated, realized there was no gold or jewels, just the truth Arthur had always known.

Disgraced and without her coveted prize, Clara left the village, her plans for the resort abandoned. The villagers, having stood up to her greed, felt a renewed sense of unity and purpose. The farm continued to thrive, now with an even stronger bond among its people.

Arthur’s forgotten acres were forgotten no more, a thriving symbol of unity and shared purpose, saved from the clutches of greed and preserved by the love and resilience of the community.

NoseyParkersHelper

interesting sorry! though I do not know how much of it is true though

Any way; we where told if the land is unregistered and unoccupied and you occupie it your self for over 10 years and you can prove so you can then make a claim though the land registers office to register it in your own name

I mean how can the crown steal it off of a dead man/ woman with no relatives if they have no record of who owned it in the first place

user1977

Is this any more based in reality than your previous thread?

BarelySentientAI

NoseyParkersHelper said:

interesting sorry! though I do not know how much of it is true though

Any way; we where told if the land is unregistered and unoccupied and you occupie it your self for over 10 years and you can prove so you can then make a claim though the land registers office to register it in your own name

I mean how can the crown steal it off of a dead man/ woman with no relatives if they have no record of who owned it in the first place

So what you're asking is "what is adverse possession"?