Buying adjoining land - Legal costs ?

[sarahkeast]

Has anyone brought a slice/chunk/piece of adjoining land to their property ?

I am wondering about talking to one of my neighbours about a slice [literally pie shaped slice] of land, probably less than 15m2 that they use for dumping branches and clippings onto. It would just make my veggie patch a 'bit' bigger and add some light when the privet hedge comes down.

I have absolutely NO idea what it would cost for the land, not really worth anything as such a tiny and enclosed bit. Purely a whim. Which is why I suspect the legal fees to show change of boundaries etc could be a significant proportion of cost.

Just thinking....

[boboff]

I suspect that you might find your neighbour less than happy.
Thats the first thing, I would then budget £500 - £1000 for legal costs, as you will have to pay theirs as well, if they have a mortgage then they may need a survey doing, may alter the terms of the mortgage, etc etc. Any profit they make on it though would not be taxable if it's their main home.
In these instances I think you may well find asking to "rent" it, a more straight forward option.

[MKG]

When we were trying to buy part of our neighbour's land (which fell through - the deal, not the land) about a year or so ago, I think, we found solicitors who were happy to work for both parties for a combined cost of £500. It took a lot of looking to find them, though, as the majority gave us a lot of guff about the need for a survey (you don't need one, certainly not the laser survey linked to GPS data which one solicitor told us was the only legal way to proceed), searches for historical conditions and rights of way or access (you don't need that as any such thing can be found between the two sets of deeds), and a handful of other unnecessary things. Most also claimed that the two parties were legally obliged to use different solicitors. This is BS, as there is no contentious issue.

You do need a search to establish that your neighbour has the right to sell in the first place (ours didn't) and it would be wise to do a search with the local planning authority to find out if anyone else has their beady eyes on the land. Needs apart, though, there is no legal requirement whatsoever other than a properly-written deed of conveyance (which must, nowadays, be done by either a solicitor or a licensed conveyancer - although you can attend, in person, the nearest Land Registry office to present proof of your identity, for which you will be charged, and then do it yourself) and an acceptably drawn-up plan of the land to send to the Land Registry (details on the Land Registry site).

Best of luck.

Mike

EDIT: Good point, boboff. If your neighbour has a mortgage on the property or a secured loan against the property, permission from whoever holds that is necessary - and often isn't given as the transfer devalues the property. If they do agree, they have the right to put whatever conditions they like on the sale - including surveys, full searches, and the revival of maypole dancing.

[sarahkeast]

Ok, that pretty much knocks that idea on the head. Way too much hassle. It is a tiny slice of land, just a shame to see it wasted and filled with rubbish rather than holding a couple more fruit bushes and various other goodies. Not like I dont have enough to do already !

[Thurston Garden]

Sarah, don't dispair yet....

A good friend of mine was gifted a small piece of adjoining garden (about 10m by 10m). No solicitor was required, she downloaded the relevant title alteration forms from the Register, filled them in, accompanied with an OS base plan (the most costly part at £50ish) and sent them to the Keeper to be registered.

This was in Scotland though where all things legal are different from daaahn saaf. Worth looking into with the Register if your neighbour is up for it.