B****y ransom strip..Again!

Found this..

My friend very recently sold her ex council house and did not have to pay the council a penny. ....... might be that different areas have different rules,I am in North Devon

I’m wondering how many of the thousands of ex council properties that were sold cheap on the right to buy scheme, have a restrictive covenant in the small print.

I’m glad your son is out of it, sounds like the seller thinks they’re being clever, but it’s backfired.

I sold my garden for a building plot and found, when it was too late to back out, that a housing association held a restrictive covenant on it. My old cottage had once been owned by the council and the HA has these covenants on all their ex properties.
The HA charged me one third of the expected value of the plot, referred to as a ransom charge. I had to pay £30,000 for their half a day’s work. It’s blackmail.

I must say we have an excellent solicitor this is the second house that has fallen through but she is not charging us anything as long as we use her again when we do purchase a property.... can’t say fairer than that

Thanks Whiff ?

Shinamae my daughter and son son in law had an offer accepted on a house. The vendors where a nightmare so they looked for another house. Found a better house in a better area and cheaper , moved in nearly 2 weeks ago. First house still on the market.

Your son will find somewhere he likes better without all the hassle. And no ransom strip.

Hopefully Hetty!!....?

I'm sure you've done the right thing. Buy another property without any problems!

But this ransom strip Was being kept by the seller!!!...? anyway onward and upward glad to be out of it now actually thanks everybody for your advice ??

Sorry to hear you have given up on the house, but these strips can protect the householder.
A friend was advised to buy a strip of additional land to her house because it was the only access to a small plot of land behind her house. Fifteen years later the local rogue developer bought the plot and attempted to browbeat her into giving him the access, which she was able to resist legally. He is one who builds up to and over the building line and reneges on promises, so she was devoutly thankful for the ransom strip.

We are out now..

I’m not sure this is a ransome strip it sound more like a boundary closer than you thought, presumably the sellers own the property next door. A ransome strip is land outside a property boundary that cannot be crossed, to prevent access to further development.
Dont complete until they change the boundary.

Thank you all for your support ???

I am sure you made the right choice, I suspect they are not called ransom strips for nothing. On to the next property and heave a sigh at a lucky escape?

Sorry to read this Shinamae, but at least he's not out of pocket for the survey.

It’s disappointing but I think it’s for the best. A bit too many ifs on that property ?

We’re out....

Have just talked to my son and he has agreed that now unless there is no ransom strip at all he will not be going ahead with the purchase, fed up with all this messing around, if she wants the ransom strip that bad she can keep the whole property...?

This from the sellers solicitor...???

No, I am not buying it with him but as he is working a lot I am helping him. And I’m pretty sure ransom strips can be given away they just have to say forget the ransom strip have the land and that’s an end of it but somehow I don’t think they’re going to do that and I do think he’ll have to pull out. I have told him if it’s not this one it’ll be a better one... I do think things happen for a reason but I don’t think my son is quite so convinced never mind will post later on as we will know by close of business today one way or another

Don’t proceed. Too much hassle and difficult to sell on when the time comes to move.

I am confused, are you buying it with him? you say "my solicitor" but he has a survey booked.

If he/you love the property would the absence of a garage be a deal breaker.

I do not know see how things can change while people own ransom strips, they cannot just be given away.

Yes - we paid £6000 to the Council for a ransom strip...20 years ago
Basically we had planning permission to build a house in our garden, but could not use our entrance for this extra house. We had to have a separate entrance . Fair enough. But, it meant crossing over a 10foot square of ‘common land’ /ransom strip to get to the road.
Initially they wanted £20000. After much negotiation through our skilful Solicitor, we brought the price down to £6000.
My advice......don’t buy anything with a ‘ransom strip’. Or, get a good Solicitor, one who does not have much connection with the local Councillors. There will be divided loyalties.
Good luck to your son !