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Original poster

Selling part of my garden!

26 replies

mumtoafrog · 31/05/2021 19:52

Good evening,

My neighbours have approached me about buying the bottom of my garden, the size is around 15m by 10m and includes a large shed, a small shed with dog kennel, and a chicken coop.

How do you find out the value for something like this? Can anyone point me on the right direction? Or give me a rough idea on how much gardens land can sell for?

Any help would be much appreciated.

OP posts:
Livingintheclouds · 31/05/2021 20:03

I once approached an estate agent about this, but from the other end. He said the value of the land could be based on how much it would add to the value of my property. You can't sell the land to anyone else (maybe another neighbour), and presumably there is no development potential.
You should take in to account how much it would affect the value of your property too. If you would still have a good size garden comparable to others in the area, maybe not by much. If, however, it means your garden will be considerably smaller than others, then this may well affect it's future value.
A local estate agent may be able to advise you, though they may expect some sort of fee. You will also need a solicitor if you go ahead.

MissM2912 · 31/05/2021 20:09

15k an acre but more of it is going to add value to their house or if it would create a building site.

Roselilly36 · 31/05/2021 20:16

Lots to consider, definitely would need a solicitor to handle it for you, as boundaries will need amendments at land registry. Why do you neighbours want to buy part of your garden? Development perhaps? Have your neighbours offered a figure. Do you want to sell part of your garden? Value not easy to determine, you could look as prices of land locally. Good luck with whatever you decide.

colouringcrayons · 31/05/2021 20:19

What do they want to do with it? You may want to investigate putting a covenant on it to prevent a house being built at the end of what was your garden!

Original poster
mumtoafrog · 31/05/2021 20:40

Thanks for all the helpful replies, I do understand that a solicitor would have to be involved.

There garden is very small and they want a slightly bigger garden, plus shed to keep stuff in for his new business.

My garden would still be about the same size if not bigger than the houses around me.

It would be interesting to see if it would devalue my house and if so by how much.

OP posts:
bigbluebus · 31/05/2021 20:43

When we bought a piece of land at the side of our house, the landowner based the price on 1/2 a building plot as although he didn't have planning permission for the land at the time there was a very high chance that he would get it (and in fact did a number of years later). He did attach a covenant so that we cannot build a separate house on the land - not that we want to.

TedGlenn · 31/05/2021 20:49

We've done this twice buying (both times about same size plot as yours from the sounds of it). On each occasion we paid 15K plus the sellers' legal/land registry costs.

AlmostSummer21 · 31/05/2021 20:51

It'll reduce your sale price and your sell ability. The sale price doesn't matter so much if you get a good price for it now, however, it'll reduce the pool of potential buyers when you come to sell. (People looking for a large garden or space to put a summer house/granny flat/kids den).

I think you risk substantially reducing your buyers pool

I'd be less disposed to selling it so he can use it as a storage shed for his business (locks up would do the job, but not as convenient) that for say, enough room for kids to play.

GU24Mum · 31/05/2021 22:12

Unless you are really keen to sell or really need the money, personally I wouldn't do it. As PPs have said, why run the risk that your next buyer would have like all of the garden? If you want to accommodate them you could consider instead granting them a licence to use part of the garden. You'll still need a solicitor to draft it to be on the safe side (and look at fencing obligations etc) but that way you still own the land.

colouringcrayons · 31/05/2021 22:16

Agree with @GU24Mum, renting it (properly) would give you greater options in the future.

EShellstrop · 31/05/2021 22:17

I've just been disappointed to learn that a property I wanted to buy is in the process of doing just this, but with planning permission already granted. We want a big garden, and would ha e bought the house were it not for the fact that the bulk of the garden is being sold off for two houses to be squeezed into it. (At the same price as the house itself, too, so not something we are able to buy ourselves)

I'd think carefully about how this decision might impact your ability to move on in future, if that's important to you.

LondonMiss · 31/05/2021 22:20

If you have a mortgage on the property I think you will need permission from the lender.

Perching · 31/05/2021 22:25

Move your fence (put a gate in that can be locked from both sides) and rent it to them, even if just for a token rent. Selling is permanent. I wouldn’t. And if he want to put a shed there for a new business... noise etc, if it becomes a nuisance you then you can just give them notice.

CliffFace · 31/05/2021 23:00

Whereabouts are you based OP?
10 * 15 metres in London and they'd probably manage to stick half a dozen flats on it.

Rollercoaster1920 · 31/05/2021 23:25

We used a RICS surveyor. The valuation came down to what it would add in value to our house. It wouldn't really have reduced the value of next door. We had a time limited covenant with overage clause to prevent flipping and development.

It was about 7 years ago a 5 x 15m plot in zone 2/3 London with the covenant for £15k plus legal fees. I think the seller was very kind to agree to help us get more garden for a growing family.

HerringHelen · 01/06/2021 07:58

We live on a lovely road with a very big garden. The 5 houses to our right though sold off large chunks of their gardens to a developer. They’ve only got between 1/3 and 1/4 of the old garden size left. Goodness knows how much they made from the sale, but it isn’t worth it. They’ve massively impacted the value of their houses, because the big houses now have small gardens. Definitely ask an EA to value your house as it is now.

FindMeInTheSunshine · 01/06/2021 08:14

One way to work out the value is supposed to be: check the rebuild cost of your house, either check your insurance or use an online calculator. Then, subtract that from how much you think you could sell your house for. That gives you a theoretical cost for all of your land, so you can work out if you sell eg 20% what a value could be.
However, anything is really worth as much as someone is prepared to pay for it, and if is just for a garden extension with no possibility for building then probably a lot less than that!

coffeequeenindevon · 01/06/2021 08:40

We looked at a house recently that had the bottom of the garden owned by the next door neighbour- it put us off buying it and despite it being a great house in a red hot market it’s still not sold. The problem for us was looking into a random summer house that belonged to someone else. EA rang to try and tempt us into a second look last week and admitted lots of people put off by it.

Original poster
mumtoafrog · 01/06/2021 10:24

Thanks for all the helpful replies, we are based in the Cotswold countryside.

The noise from the business is minimal its more just to store tools.

I would pop a fence up as to separate them.

I like the idea of renting to them but honestly I'm hoping to move on in the next couple of years and I would hate for them to get comfy then have to find something else, maybe I am being too nice?

OP posts:
GU24Mum · 01/06/2021 10:40

If you're planning to move in a couple of years, I'd definitely not sell off part of the garden now!

NoToast · 01/06/2021 11:11

To echo others, before I view I check title plans. I've cancelled viewings where plots have been subdivided. Mostly through fear of living next to a development.

NewHouseNewMe · 01/06/2021 11:58

@mumtoafrog

Thanks for all the helpful replies, we are based in the Cotswold countryside.

The noise from the business is minimal its more just to store tools.

I would pop a fence up as to separate them.

I like the idea of renting to them but honestly I'm hoping to move on in the next couple of years and I would hate for them to get comfy then have to find something else, maybe I am being too nice?

Once it is sold, your neighbour can do what they want with the land - store tools, create a noisy workshop, apply for planning permission for another house, build a tree house etc.

I would definitely not do this.

There is a house stuck on the market near me because they sold off a chunk of their garden to a neighbour. Very few people want a family house with a small garden.

surreygirl1987 · 01/06/2021 14:30

Unless you're going to make a fortune out of this sale, or you're desperate, I wouldn't do it. I just viewed 7 houses. Only one had a decent garden. Renting is a much better idea, but be transparent that you may be moving in a couple of years anyway - then it's their decision whether they are willing to lose it again or not. Even renting van get messy though!

Original poster
mumtoafrog · 01/06/2021 15:11

Thank you for more replies!

It looks like selling it won't be the best way forward, but yes maybe I could approach them about renting it off me!

OP posts:
TeacupDrama · 01/06/2021 15:21

if renting make sure you maintain access by having a gate your side and a legal agreement with termination periods, so if you want to sell you can terminate agreement before selling so it's sold with cvancant possession of shed, don't let them build new shed but obviously they need to be able to lock it properly if holding valuable tools , if you don't move in a couple of years then you could re think it