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AIBU?

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New neighbours

667 replies

Plannergirl9 · 10/06/2020 12:12

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.

New neighbours
OP posts:
Jokie · 10/06/2020 12:50

Not your problem to sell. I'd dig out that email if you can to show them if they come back.

AlwaysCheddar · 10/06/2020 12:51

They are nuts. Tell them to do one. CFs.

Cleo22 · 10/06/2020 12:51

Did your neighbours even agree a price - or were you supposed to just gift it to them?

pictish · 10/06/2020 12:52

You haven’t the slightest obligation to sell your land. Just stick to a polite but firm no. They might well be pissed off...who cares?

ErickBroch · 10/06/2020 12:52

I agree with pp - say you'll sell for a nice 100k Grin

BigSandyBalls2015 · 10/06/2020 12:53

As a previoius poster said …. fence it off asap if it isn't already, make it damn clear it's your property.

Cleo22 · 10/06/2020 12:53

Sorry - should have said - "offer a price"

SockYarn · 10/06/2020 12:53

This is not your problem. You were clear.

Their dispute is not with you, it is with their solicitor about what she/he promised or otherwise at the time. Just keep telling them that you are not selling, and don;t get involved.

poozel · 10/06/2020 12:56

@friendlycat there's another thread running where the lady thought she bought a house with an orchard, the neighbour thinks she owns the orchard. At the last update it would appear nobody owns it....crazy.

Here I would print email and take it to them, and I would phone the solicitor and enquire as to why it has not been passed to them and ask them to clarify matters with their client.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 10/06/2020 12:56

@SockYarn has said exactly what I was thinking - their problem is with their solicitor, not you, @Plannergirl9.

I do wonder if their solicitor has either deliberately or accidentally misled them - and if so, surely they would have a case against them.

Of course, this does not excuse them becoming angry with you or shouting at you!

Itwasntme1 · 10/06/2020 12:56

This is really odd. Either they are lying or their solicitor really messed up.

However, as a price clearly had not been agreed, it seems really strange that they only proceeded with the purchase on this condition.

Keep us posted, but I don’t think you will hear anything more from them when they either speak to their solicitor or realise their bluff didn’t work.

Knittedfairies · 10/06/2020 12:57

Why would they buy the house without knowing how much the land would cost them?

ThisShitCrazy · 10/06/2020 12:57

Don't sell and get a big fuck off fence

Cheeky twats

makingmammaries · 10/06/2020 12:57

That’s another approach: set the price of the land based on what you would need to upgrade to a nicer house away from those neighbours.

Dougalthesyrianhamster · 10/06/2020 12:57

Wow! I'd be immediately going and puttering around said land with your DH whilst having a great time on YOUR land, laughing & smiling. Plant a few parsnips, maybe even bring out a deckchair whilst discussing what hedging or large fence you're going to erect to keep them out!!

SunbathingDragon · 10/06/2020 12:57

YANBU and if they are telling the truth about what their solicitor said to them, they were fools to go ahead with a house sale without the land sale also being dealt with alongside.

I don’t believe them though and think they hoped to either intimidate you into the sale by coming round or that you would be too polite and nice to say no. Looking at your diagram, it’s hardly a bit of land that makes a huge difference or that looks out of place belonging to your house rather than their house.

LadyEvelynBagley · 10/06/2020 12:58

Their path of restitution is with their own solicitor, surely. If their solicitor told them a falsehood upon which they based the decision to buy a house, then they must take it up with their solicitor.

You were asked. You said no. You communicated your answer via email so have a record of it.

For me the answer seems to be "gosh, your soliticitor really effed up there. I hope they give you an apology or compensation." End of.

ThisShitCrazy · 10/06/2020 12:59

Also looking at the diagram the land makes way more sense being yours so their land is nice and square. Is their oil mined beneath it or something?!

Minniee · 10/06/2020 12:59

Ask them what price the solicitor agreed on your behalf?

Just keep saying no. Nothing to do with you what someone else told them.

TakemetoGreeceplease · 10/06/2020 13:00

Don't think I've ever seen a unanimous aibu! Agree with the idea of offering to sell at a ridiculously inflated price. Grin

goingoverground · 10/06/2020 13:01

No, you don't have to sell it to them, there is no "contract" between you. For the sake of neighbourly relations, I would print out the emails from the solicitor and your reply, and write a note saying something along the lines of: "We are so sorry to hear that your solicitor has done this to you. As you can see, we told your solicitor that we did not want to sell the land. We hope you are able to resolve this complaint with your solicitor but the land is not for sale." Put the blame squarely back on the solicitor.

CuppaZa · 10/06/2020 13:02

Wow, biggest CF of the month I think! Shock
I agree, show them/solicitor your original email declining to sell, and ignore. Make sure your land is secure. I have a feeling they won’t be making many friends in their new home Confused

AJPTaylor · 10/06/2020 13:04

What fun!
Name your price. Everyone has a price.......

MoveOnTheCards · 10/06/2020 13:04

Clearly their solicitor has ballsed-up, but what planet are they on to keep insisting like that?!

I do like the idea of offering it at a price to give you a massive upgrade though! Cheeky feckers.

plunkplunkfizz · 10/06/2020 13:05

Take advice before sharing correspondence between you and your solicitor. It is privileged in the event of a dispute and while it might help you, it might also present problems in itself and if it opens privilege.