New neighbours

[Plannergirl9]

Sorry this is a long one. TLDR: Essentially we were gifted land from ex-neighbour when they died. New neighbours who bought her house has told us we must sell it to them.

A bit more backstorey. Our elderly neighbour lived next to us until they died in late December. She had a side bit of garden like an allotment that we used to help her with (hatched area on diagram). Unbeknownst to us she gifted us that area of land in her will. The rest of the house and land was to be sold and the money given to charity.

After the will reading we have had the land registry changed to confirm we now own the land. The house was put up for sale late January. In mid February we received a letter from a solicitor asking that we sell the land to the potential buyer of the house. We emailed back saying no we won't sell. We then heard nothing more from any solicitors. House was then sold during lockdown.

The new neighbours moved in on Monday. Yesterday they came to our door asking for the name of our solicitor so the land purchase can take place. We told them we were not planning on selling the land and that we told their solicitor that. The new neighbours didn't take it well. Apparently they only bought the house on the provision that they could buy the land and this was agreed with us via their solicitors.

The new neighbours got quite loud and angry about us apparently misleading them and left to speak to their solicitor. They seem to think we legally need to sell them the land as there was a written (email) contract between them and their solicitor who confirmed to them by email prior to the sale of the house that we would sell the land.

Aibu to a) not sell the land even though we technically didn't buy it and b) that the fact their solicitor has mislead them is not our problem?

Neighbours land is in red.
Our land is in black and the hatched area is the land they expect to buy.

I would love you to call the dad- purely for entertainment purposes. I envision you'll have a conversation with someone similar to the guy who talks in riddles off Little Britain.

@BettyButtercup

Am I the only one who doesn't know what a 'peppercorn' amount is?

I have only heard it used in terms of a peppercorn rent - it is a legal term for a very low rent, way £1 per year.

I have never heard it used about a purchase.

If what they claim is true, they will need to report their solicitor for lying to them, but that's not your problem.

When you sent your refusal to their solicitor, was it in writing and did you keep a copy?

That fake letter is hilarious!

A peppercorn was often specified as a nominal rent or value. In the middle ages it was slightly more than it implies today, given the price of pepper and spices generally. I showed this thread to my chartered surveyor DH, who nearly fell off his chair laughing the ridiculousness of their email and demands.

Is it definitely the young couple who have bought the house or has Dad bought it for them to live in? Possibly with a view to development in future?

Ginntoniconpause 🤣

The letter from the 'solicitor' though. Please update on whatever new shenanigans come from these lot. I have a feeling they are not done unfortunately.

When my mum died, her house was sold within three months. Probate took three YEARS to come through (complications with the solicitors, not the estate), but the money from the house just went into the estate and was combined with the rest.

Just tell them you will no longer discuss it. Your have proof it's yours, nothing more to say on the matter. And put a big fence up!

And when you get your new fence put up, paint the words "Mine, all mine" in big letters on the side that faces their garden.

Love the fake letter - but in your situation, I would be looking into how quickly I could get a security camera installed to watch that piece of land. It's obvious they are prepared to try illegal means to persuade you. Is your DH's man-cave covered against arson on your house insurance? Don't put anything precious in it yet.

Anyone else thinking "dad" is going to be a Tony Soprano clone?😁

@NoClarification

Probate takes 8-18 months and a house sale say 6-8 weeks in Scotland at best. Longer in England. Certainly extremely, impressively speedy to have probate wrapped up in under a month.

You can't say that on here! I got deleted for less.

That email tho 😂

.

Utter chancers!

Scottish property lawyer here and this is the most ridiculous thing I've ever read. Clearly chancing their luck. Don't waste any more of your time engaging with them or solicitors on it. Stay firm in your response if they ask again and just hope that's the end of it.

Which bit of "Probate does not have to been granted for the house to be sold" do some people not understand?

Indeed, probate (or rather, "confirmation" in Scotland) can't be granted until the house's value has been confirmed - and in many cases the easiest way to do that involves selling the house (assuming, in this case, that the charity didn't want it ).

In Scotland there is the added complication that offspring have a legal right to one half of the "moveable" estate (ie everything except land and property), split equally amongst the siblings (or the descendants of those siblings). The rest (the fixed estate land and property and the other half of the moveable estate can be distributed according to the deceased's wishes. (Proportions are different if there is a surviving spouse).

Firstly you can't set up a alert to be notified of a sale on a plot in Scotland, thats only in HMLR England and Wales, where the conveyancing process is done mostly by Forms.
In Scotland you cannot simply fill out a form to change ownership, a deed called a disposition must be drafted and signed by the registered owner or their representatives ie a power of attorney or executor. If the deed is not submitted to Registers of Scotland by a solicitor, strict ID checks are in place to make sure you have a right to sell.
Secondly probate is an English thing, in Scotland you can register the will and the court will grant a confirmation can be done in a couple of weeks.
If the Land is showing on your title sheet, its yours, don't entertain these people any further.
I deal with a lot of solicitors and i have never seen anyone write such nonsense.

They are at it, they get it for a peppercorn (usually term is three peppercorns is it not?) since you inherited it???? That’s absolute bullshit.

Property sales in Scotland are usually more straightforward and both of mine concluded in 6 weeks. At work we used to give an estimate for settlement as 12 weeks as that gave us a chance to iron out any issue. The first time I looked at a sale in England and got a TR1 firm I was confused. In scotland the disposition is usually one long paragraph and once signed.

A Peppercorn rent means a nominal fee, in fact I’ve seen ‘tokens’ being given instead.

Laugh at them but I want to know what the Dad has to say.

The Latin given is absurd – could not more obviously be bogus.

I think your decision not to respond further is wise. However, should you choose to respond in real Latin to give them a bit of a surprise, I have a suggestion:

ut antea confirmavimus, vendere terram eam non consentimus. numquam diximus terram vendituram esse. nolite rursus rogare (et linguam latinam discite)! caveat emptor. Salvete!

It means, "As we previously confirmed, we do not agree to sell this land. We never said we would sell the land. Do not ask again (and learn the Latin language)! Let the buyer beware. Goodbye!"

(posters, feel free to correct my Latin: I'm rusty)

(*Avete not salvete (=hello). You can start with salvete if you want to be friendly!)

@BoxOfShapes

😂 would 100% send

Why on Earth would you ring her dad?
Has he bought the house for them?