Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To buy this land and risk upsetting the tenants next door

999 replies

Mrsdavidcaruso · 04/01/2014 12:31

Long story short. My house is at the back of a large house which was converted into flats last year. I own the freehold to my property and have had problems with the tenants of the flats parking on what is actually my land. It got bad when the LL of the large house 'rented' a part of my property to one of his tenants as an extra parking space and it took a long time and solicitors letters to get it all sorted.

I also had to spend money on getting bollards and a fence to ensure no-one parked on my property.

My property is at the end of a T shape and I part is used as a passage to my house ( I have legal access over it) and a parking area for 5 cars rented by the LL to his tenants

However because of all the problems my solicitor has done some digging to ensure my legal right of way and that nothing comes back to bite me on the bum with the owners of the large house.

It then got interesting - it seems that the LL bought the large house at auction on a 99 year lease. My Solicitor saw the legal pack and there was no mention of the land on the paperwork.

He has now found out through the freeholder that the land does not actually belong to the large house but to the house next door.

The freeholder of the house next door has confirmed yes its his land but as he does not live in the house was unaware that the LL of the large house was using it as far as he was aware only I had access to it.

He has now contacted my Solicitors and offered to sell me the land, If I don’t want to buy he is going to offer the LL the chance to lease it from him but if he does that I am worried about my own access across it.

I am very tempted I can enlarge my garden and my husband (who rents a garage ) can also park his car on the property we can afford it and it may increase the value of my house and provide a safer environment for my DS and bump when he/she arrives.

But that is not going to sit well with the tenants of the large house and I can forsee huge problems with them as a couple were very abusive to me during the problem with the parking before.

I have a couple of weeks to decide. I know it would not fair to the tenants but its something they will have to take up with their LL as either he has been badly advised/mistaken or is chancing his arm renting out parking spaces when he knows its not his land (I suspect the latter).

According to my Solicitor there would be no legal or planning issues if I wanted to change the area to a larger garden (although I will check with the council myself)

So would I be UR to buy it

OP posts:
TheOneWithTheHair · 24/01/2014 17:16

Ooh. The letters, and on a Friday! They'll have loads of time to find parking over the weekend.

Or give notice to the LA.

HeadfirstThroughTheTimeVortex · 24/01/2014 17:20

Oh good, I hope it goes well.

eurochick · 24/01/2014 17:24

If they try to have a pop, you need to tell them to direct their ire against the LL who seems to have charged a premium for a flat with parking when he didn't own the parking!

Pipbin · 24/01/2014 17:25

Is it wrong that this is so exciting?
I need to get out more.

SauvignonBlanche · 24/01/2014 17:31

Good Luck! Flowers

really1234 · 24/01/2014 17:44

Is it wrong that this is so exciting?
I need to get out more.

^^ This Blush

Slatecross · 24/01/2014 17:45
Blush
MamaMary · 24/01/2014 17:54

Just seen this thread. Eager to know what happens next! And congrats on your new land, OP Grin

FairPhyllis · 24/01/2014 17:54

I do like a parking thread where Right has triumphed.

territt · 24/01/2014 17:57

Are they still parking there?

TheDoctrineOfSnatch · 24/01/2014 17:58

They are still allowed to park there till 15 Feb so if assume so!

Lj8893 · 24/01/2014 17:59

pipbin me too!! Blush

IrisWildthyme · 24/01/2014 18:23

I hope the fencing is booked to be installed on the 16th!

Wibblypiglikesbananas · 24/01/2014 18:41

Great progress - and you're very generous letting them stay until the 15th! What a cheek on the part of the LL - I imagine he'll be getting quite a few complaints very soon.

I'm just imagining a thread on here from the (nice) tenants' viewpoint...

  • We rented a flat with parking, only to find that our landlord had been illegally renting us a space that wasn't his. We received a letter this morning telling us that we can't park there after next month. AIBU to make him pay our moving costs to somewhere which actually has parking, as that's the main reason we live here? Also, can I ask for discounted rent until we move, as surely our rental rate includes the parking space?! -
Mrsdavidcaruso · 24/01/2014 18:53

It's all quiet I did hear a couple of cars pull up and raised voices about an hour ago.

OH has not been in long and when I told him he popped out to have a look all 5 cars are there so all the tenants are home, he reckons they will all have a conflab and decide what to do.

Anyway settling down to watch NCIS now (bit of Gibbs to cheer me up)
I am sure we will get comeback sooner or later - will keep everyone informed

OP posts:
TimeToPassGo · 24/01/2014 18:56

Eeeek MrsDC hope it all goes smoothly. This is not your problem. If they get angry or aggressive don't hesitate to call the police on them.

inabeautifulplace · 24/01/2014 19:07

I would be looking to secure the area you park your car in if I were you. People can go a bit odd during these kind of disputes. Unfortunately the person responsible for their loss isn't living there, but you are.

It is definitely a good thing that the LA is onside, I would work hard with them to get the Landlord to personally deal with the tenants. That way you give the tenants an opportunity to vent spleen at the right person.

Jux · 24/01/2014 19:18

Hope you have a quiet night, and pleasant weekend, and that all the tenants behave like reasonable people some hope.

With luck, the sensible ones will contain the not sensible ones, and this will all work out quietly.

MerryWinterfel · 24/01/2014 19:43

Good luck!

Lweji · 24/01/2014 20:31

We rented a flat with parking, only to find that our landlord had been illegally renting us a space that wasn't his. We received a letter this morning telling us that we can't park there after next month. AIBU to make him pay our moving costs to somewhere which actually has parking, as that's the main reason we live here? Also, can I ask for discounted rent until we move, as surely our rental rate includes the parking space?!

And claim the extra rent back.

AcrossthePond55 · 25/01/2014 01:04

Am I right in remembering that the letters weren't going to mention who now owned the land? Hopefully you aren't mentioned anywhere in the letter mrsDC.

mistlethrush · 25/01/2014 10:03

Good luck for the weekend MrsDC!

HSMMaCM · 25/01/2014 10:25

One of them might come to you all concerned in case you didn't get the letter and might lose your access when the new owner takes over Grin.

Lonecatwithkitten · 25/01/2014 10:42

I have been reading this thread from the start. Once you mentioned Island I knew it had to be IOW with landlords playing fast and loose with other peoples land.
The fact that the tenants haven't banged on your door suggests that quite rightly they have realised their problem is with their landlord.

DameDeepRedBetty · 25/01/2014 10:48

Delurks for a quick 'Hurray!'

And relurks.