To just use the decade long abandoned house on my street?

[CheekyBeggar]

I moved into my house ten years ago, and noticed an empty house with a badly grown garden opposite us.

The house has never had anyone come into or out if it. The garden was overgrown to the point that you couldn’t see the front door but apart from that the house appears sound. I was originally concerned that it was an elderly neighbour so went around to check.

I say the garden ‘was’ overgrown because about five years ago I’d had enough and I started clearing the front out. I’ve been doing it regularly to keep it ok ish looking.

I’ve reported it to the council three times, they say they haven’t got the ‘funds’ available to do anything about it.

I’ve contacted the land registry and tried to chase down the prior owner, but from what I can gather they had the house repossessed, by a mortgage/debt company that has since folded and that I can’t contact either.

My neighbour must have gotten confused and today when I was tidying up the fly tipping that happens regularly outside there, he demanded to know when I was going to do something with the place. He thought that I owned it.

When I told dh this he said he’d been looking it up and that we should just change the locks on the house (the back foot has been open for some time, some youths broke into it a few years ago. I boarded it up and left it.) and claim squatters rights in ten years.

I’ve googled it myself and it all looks very complicated and I don’t really understand how it can be legal? But it’s always been such an eyesore that I must admit the idea of going in and tidying it up does appeal to me.

Or are there other avenues I could go down instead? I’ve tried a few companies who say they will deal with abandoned hoses but they all seem to be based in London, we are much further north.

Do it!
Then you can do some good with it!

I wouldn't do that, cat, it would just be putting more property into the hand of greedy property developing cnuts.

Ooh this is interesting. Can’t bleieve properties are left for this long empty

I have tried that website SilverHairedCat, unfortunately they and the others I’ve tried aren’t interested in homes in this area.

I doubt anyone would call the police...they seem to think it belongs to me anyway.

That’s what I thought hippo, every year I was sure someone must turn up and do something.

It has made me wonder how many homes there are out there just being abandoned, such a waste.

It would be an ideal starter home for someone (I’m going to guess it’d be worth around the 150,000 mark)

ooh this is fascinating

If the owners really can't be traced and you're willing to hand it back to anyone who does appear...hmm...that could be quite an interesting experience.

I suppose charities try to acquire these kinds of properties though? I'm amazed a really empty, unclaimed, can't track the owner place can slip through the net any more.

A quick search and squatting is illegal with a prison sentence and fine as punishment

I thought councils had a responsibility to sort out empty homes, especially as there is a housing shortage

Why not get onto your district council

For example www.warwickdc.gov.uk/info/20163/private_housing/182/empty_properties

This district council has a contact whom will deal with cases such as the property opposite you

It is tempting, but so complicated and I wouldn’t want to get arrested or anything.

I could save my letters/emails I’ve tried to send previous owner
,council and the folded mortgage company?

I have contacted the council multiple times over the last ten years. In short it has always been a polite ‘don’t want to know’.

I’ve always been told they don’t have the funds to pursue the matter currently.

I wouldn't.

yeh but you know what, if you were to move in, the council would find the funds very very quickly.

Maybe I should email them telling them I’ll be moving in in six months if they don’t find the funds to get it back on the market?

Hiya, dh & I had an abandoned property on our street which we rather fancied! After some digging we found another 3 derelict properties all belonging to a long since struck off company. The legal thing to do is bring it to the attention of the Treasury Solicitor’s Dept www.gov.uk/government/organisations/bona-vacantia We rather hoped we’d get first dibs but sadly it all went to auction and silly prices!

Frankly you’ll have to hire a solicitor rather than post on here

Has the entire house been checked incase someone's dead upstairs? You hear of people never being missed.

I actually did go in to check around when it had been broken in to and before I boarded it up (was slightly worried there would be a fire inside like the last time)

It’s empty, there are a few basic furnishings but it looks like a house that has been moved out of.

That’s interesting Blinkingblimey I’ll try them.

Erm, please don't break into it or change the locks. Possession is not nine tenths of the law, not in the way you describe doing it anyway.

You would need to do some serious research into the title to the property, as I would be surprised if the property is not on anyone's radar as far as ownership is concerned, and yes, adverse possession is complicated. Actual, factual possession must be shown.

Don't do anything until you've taken legal advice from a decent property lawyer.

Blinking is correct. I am in Scotland so the rules are slightly different but basically the property belongs to the Crown as bona vacantia. Your best bet would be to contact them and ask if thet would take title and then sell to you.

I would consult a solicitor with all your information. Back in the day there were houses handed over to people under adverse possession but now it's a criminal offence to squat (this being, obviously, the best solution to a housing crisis in a country with thousands of abandoned properties 😐). It sounds like there's unlikely to be a challenge to you taking it over, but check out the probability and also the probability of prosecution - a solicitor should be able to advise circumstances where this is likely to happen.

I personally think it's a great thing to do as abandoned properties create problems for the neighbourhood so you're doing something useful, but just check to make sure you don't get burned.

The mortgage company that went bust must have had some involvement with an administrator. I'm surprised that they didn't have an interest in the property.

This is so interesting!

Are their any squatters groups or renters/housing activist groups in your area? Maybe let thrm know about it.

Just go for it.

Could you not just move in, paint and decorate and inhabit it. Pay down your council tax on it and let your current house out. If anyone ever comes forward, hand the keys over with a smile and move back to your original home. The chances of anyone ever pressing charges against you is really slim and I think I would risk it.