Looking at a property - driveway is around corner beside next door neighbour - proof?

P

podgerodge

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Currently looking at a terraced house for sale - no driveway in front but according to the estate agents the driveway around the corner (which also leads into this house via a little lane) is part of this house even though there is another house in between...if you understand.

A little concerned that the driveway is not mentioned in the brochure but the agent insists it is deffo part of the property. When I asked for proof the agent was unable to other than "I'll ask the owner if they have anything".

Is there any way I can prove this for myself? - would the land registry allow me view property details - and would it clearly lay out that the driveway is part of a house 2 doors down?

Thanks
 
How old is the house? Driveways are a relatively recent phenomenon. Sounds like a back lane to me. Or a right of way.

At this stage I suppose you have to take the estate agent's word. Your solicitor will be able to confirm rights of way when you get to the stage examining the title and deeds (that's what you pay the solicitor for, after all).

An unusual arrangement, maybe, but possible.
 
I'd say its 1930's - an old council house in Terenure. Appears like the other house may have sold a portion of land at some point to allow the house I' m looking at acquire a driveway...The extension on the house and the driveway have an eighties look to them.

Was hoping to find out about the ownership pre solicitor stage as I want to know whether to bother bidding and find out bad news later when I've got my own house on the market!

thanks.
 
Well you've askec the agent to provide some evidence of the arrangement. What more can you do at this stage? The market is stagnating so it would be in his interestes to provide the evidence if it exists.

Where does this remote driveway enter the property?
 
It doesn't. The house next to the one I'm looking at is on the corner and the driveway is around that corner behind the corner house. It goes up to the back of the other house. From there, a little gate allows entrance to the back of the house I'm looking at...!
 
I'd definitely ask a solicitor if there's any chance of you losing your right of way through this neighboring property, unless of course your estate agent does his job and actually provides meaningful information (even if he does you'd have to get the solicitor to confirm its validity).
 
Re: Looking at a property - driveway is around corner beside next door neighbour - pr

Hi there

you can go to the land registry office yourself and check this out, you can get a copy of the folio which will state if there are any rights of way and these will be coloured in - it sounds as though the driveway is a right of way. Otherwise you can go to landregistry.ie and do this online, they now have a good address search facility as well - although the maps are not available in colour. You will need the owners name and online searches cost about €2.50 per search

Ney
 
Wouldn't the easiet thing be to knock on the neighbours door and just ask them if it's their driveway or if it belongs to the house you want to buy? If they say it's theirs then you at least know you would have a fight on your hands if you bought the house. If they say it belongs to the house that's for sale then you can go ahead and officially check through the deeds etc.
 
Hi Thanks for replies

Went to the land registry and the driveway is clearly marked as being part of the property (I presume this is more than just a right of way - it is ownership?)

Now hoping to ask the estate agent selling it would they sell mine for a reduced fee on basis that I buy the other house... maybe 0.5% would be possible?

Thanks
 
Podgerodge

a friend of mine bought a house last year - the driveway is 'shared' - as are all the other driveways in the area. It was never made clear through plans who owned the driveway but it is a set up that has always been used by the residents of the estate. When she told me about it, I was very dubious but it seems to work for them - don't know how it would affect them if they were to sell up...

M
 
the fact that the folio from land registry shows it as part of the house should mean it is guaranteed.
 
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