Remove Travellers or relinquish land title?

[Toetouchingtitties]

I’ve recently become an Administrator for a relatives estate. As part of their estate, they owned a very small plot of land in a London borough, surrounded by houses. The land is fenced in and did have a padlocked entranced.

I visited recently to check everything was ok, to find Travellers, plus their horses have taken it over. This must’ve happened in the last few months. It was relatively contained and tidy before - but is now an absolute mess, covered with rubbish etc.

I’ve enquired with bailiffs about costs to remove them and it’s roughly the same as the land would be worth if I sold it. I do not want the hassle of managing the eviction, re-securing the site, cleaning it up and then selling it; especially as the estate will lose money overall.

So, I’m thinking of just relinquishing the land back to the land registry and walking away. But, at the back of my mind I’d feel somewhat guilty as the area is otherwise well kept by the local residents.

AIBU to save the estate money, but by doing so potentially impact the local residents enjoyment of the area? For clarity, I don’t know anyone who lives in the area, I don’t live locally and we don’t have any local family ties.

Someone will buy it even with the squatters

I understand the hassle but feel sorry for the locals. Why should the travellers in effect be gifted the land? You could mail drop the local area to see if any neighbours (or a collection of) want to buy it or if you’re really not bothered about the money, gift it to them and they can pay for their removal possibly? (Ps I have absolutely no idea of the legalities in any of that!)

Are you sure about the land value?

I would ask the council planning department if this is a patch of land for which they would likely approve a small house build. If so the value will rocket.

My relative had already tried it - they won’t give planning permission.

The land might be worth more than you think to the owners of the surrounding houses. I would guess that they would be glad to have the opportunity to club together to purchase it and get rid of the blight of the travellers.

As executor you are legally obliged to act in the best interests of the estate, not the community near the plot of land.

Could you approach the travellers and see if they want to buy the land?

They might change their if they see how the land is being used now.

In your shoes you need to remember that you are acting as an Administrator so you have a duty to do what is best for the value of the estate (get legal advice on the specifics).

If it is going to result in a net loss to clean up and sell then that is not the right decision. Conversely, if value can still be realised you need to do that.

Who are the beneficiaries?

Yes to approaching the neighbours and offering to sell to them!

Blimey if you’re going to do that I’d buy it so you end up with something.

The council may now change their minds about permission with the change in government and Labour’s proposals to change planning regs

I know I need to act for the best interest of the estate, I’m just feeling guilty as I know I wouldn’t want this landed on my doorstep.

I might think about letter bombing the local residents - that’s a good idea.

I’m not a beneficiary, I’ve taken on the Administrative role on behalf of my elderly mother. She just wants me to ‘do whatever I think is right’.

Could you just put the land up
for auction and leave the squatters for the buyers to deal with?

Given the residents aren't interested and there is an interested party occupying the land it's probably in the best interests of the estate to sell to the travellers.

And please stop dehumanising them. They're not a blight or a problem to be solved.

Would be more considerate to the neighbours to give them first refusal though, otherwise the travellers could buy it at auction and the neighbours would never be rid of them

Even tho planning permission has been denied in the past it doesn’t mean it will be in the future!

London? You want to give land away in London?

Don’t be so foolish!

Whereabouts in London?

Why would people using it for free want to buy it?

OP hasn’t said that the residents aren’t interested.
Oh, and it is easy to be PC about travellers if you haven’t lived with their filth and criminality in your local area.

How much do you want for it? PM me, I might take it off your hands.

I'd approach the travellers and see if they want to buy it. They often find it hard to get somewhere to stay I think and do buy places to pitch up.

Pay the Travellers to leave. Much cheaper than Bailiffs.

Of course you're right about travellers generally, but as this group of people have made a mess with rubbish everywhere, there is a bit of a problem!

Yes but unfortunately, they are causing problems that need to be solved

a) by breaking into and occupying private land
b) by leaving a mess everywhere which in my experience they do not clean up when (if) they leave
c) By not leaviing when requested.

Of course they are human and shoud be treated as such but they are causing problems that need to be sold.

Offering to sell them the plot is a good idea but they start from a postion of huge power because they're already there - they could take it down the line then back out and the OP is stuck

@Toetouchingtitties Have you spoken to the travellers? What sort of response did you get?

@listsandbudgets

I was on my own and a bit pissed off when I saw everything, so thought it best to make my retreat, to gather my thoughts and options.

This AIBU, is part of gathering my thoughts!

Get the thoughts of a local auctioneer. They are in my opinion revert knowledgeable and will give good advice on the way forward