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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask my neighbours to sell me their garage?

214 replies

ElleDubloo · 27/03/2021 09:46

I want to buy my neighbours’ garage. It’s next to my house. They don’t use it but they probably store some stuff in it. Would it be rude to just knock on their door and ask?

OP posts:
ElderMillennial · 27/03/2021 10:45

Then she’s not just proposing to buy the garage, she is proposing to buy the land it’s on, inc access. Which has major cost implications.

Agreed.

I don't think OP would have commented that it is next to her house unless where it is now we're relevant but perhaps OP will come back and confirm.

To buy the land I think they will have to do a transfer of part (TP1) and lawyers would need to be involved.

OP tbh I don't think they would agree.

ElderMillennial · 27/03/2021 10:45

Could you get a shed instead OP? Probably much cheaper!

Bluntness100 · 27/03/2021 10:45

@ElderMillennial

She can’t just say “I want to buy your garage” . It’s incomplete.

I'm not suggesting thats what she says but I agree she needs to discuss the specifics but it might be a bit of a shock the first time she mentions it. If they are interested they can discuss the how and how much. It will affect the value of both properties so not to be entered lightly.

Agree it might be a bit of a shock but she needs to be clear what she is offering to buy in thr first instance.
BigPaperBag · 27/03/2021 10:46

I’m really confused as to why the OP would dismantle a garage? Surely she just wants it to remain in place and use it. Maybe she’ll come back and clarify.

As for me, it would be a big fat no but I’d have no problem with you asking. After all, you don’t ask you don’t get. Maybe, as a PP suggested, you could ask to rent space? Or, if there’s space in your garden, get a log cabin (depending on what you need the building for of course)

Original poster
ElleDubloo · 27/03/2021 10:48

Thanks for your replies.

We don’t know them very well, but have been friendly when we’ve occasionally met. They’re rather elderly and don’t go out much.

I feel a diagram would help clarify?

Our plan would be to demolish both garages and rebuild as a double, and have a double driveway.

Our thinking is that their garage is worth much more to us than to them, given it’s position, and we’re willing to pay accordingly... Blush

Any more thoughts as to the most polite way to go about it?

To ask my neighbours to sell me their garage?
OP posts:
Twoforthree · 27/03/2021 10:48

No harm in asking as long as you phrase it in such a way, that they can easily say no.

ElderMillennial · 27/03/2021 10:49

So how do they get from their driveway to your house? Do they have rights of way over your garden?

ElderMillennial · 27/03/2021 10:50

(I can see that they would walk around)

Original poster
ElleDubloo · 27/03/2021 10:50

Sorry for the typo - “its position”

OP posts:
ElderMillennial · 27/03/2021 10:51

So you want to buy the land that their garage and drive is on? The bit with the drive way is probably not worth much then without the garage.

DateStamp · 27/03/2021 10:51

I think you can ask.

If I was them I wouldn’t do it as they’d be loosing actual or potential access to their back garden.

ElderMillennial · 27/03/2021 10:51

I meant to say I can see that they could walk around.

Original poster
ElleDubloo · 27/03/2021 10:51

@ElderMillenial Presumably the garage has a door opening into their garden. They don’t use the driveway. It’s an awkward position for them if they did.

OP posts:
Original poster
ElleDubloo · 27/03/2021 10:52

The actual front entrance to their house and their main driveway is from the south.

OP posts:
ElderMillennial · 27/03/2021 10:53

But if they sold their house the people who bought it might use the driveway and garage and I'm wondering how they would get to their garden.

LadyPoison · 27/03/2021 10:53

Would you leave them with no off road parking then?

If I was the owner of the garage I'd not be too bothered about the garage but losing my driveway as well would be an automatic no.

Original poster
ElleDubloo · 27/03/2021 10:54

They don’t use the small driveway in front of the garage.

They have a much larger driveway in front of their house, which they use to park 2 cars.

OP posts:
PembrokeshireDreaming · 27/03/2021 10:55

Where do they park and would selling the garage and driveway to you cause a future problem?

MargaretThursday · 27/03/2021 10:56

Dies their garage have a door through to the garden? They would round here. In which case they probably use it more than you realise.
Round here a lot of garages are in blocks. Ones adjacent to the property like that will raise the value of the property considerably. You may think that is inconvenient position for them. Round here that garage positioning would be considered excellent, and you'd be devaluing their property more than increasing yours.
You're also asking your neighbours to have the noise and hassle of demolition and rebuilding.

Rollmopsrule · 27/03/2021 10:57

You can ask but I'd be surprised if they say yes. They would be losing alot of value off their house so as long as your prepared to pay that difference.

Livelovebehappy · 27/03/2021 10:59

There’s no harm in asking. Personally, if I was them, I wouldn’t sell it as it could impact if they ever come to sell. Lots of people want a garage when buying.

Skyliner001 · 27/03/2021 11:00

I haven't had chance to read the whole thread, but I would imagine that the issue will be not that they don't use it, but if they do sell it then they lose their offstreet parking as well as the garage. For a potential future buyer that could be a huge issue.

midnightstar66 · 27/03/2021 11:00

I think you need to re do the diagram op to include entry to the front door and additional drives 😆. It looks from that that's they don't have one apart from the garage one and they entry to the house is tricky.

KenAddams · 27/03/2021 11:06

If you happen to my neighbour you can come and take it

monkeybaar · 27/03/2021 11:07

No harm in asking but I wouldn't get your hopes up unless you're prepared to pay a lot. We have a garage that sits like that, common design on the estate, and it does have a door at the back into the garden so really useful storage for paint, bikes etc. I suspect even if they were happy to not have it someone would probably advise them that future owners may want it and it will impact desirability/price.