Ownership of un-occupied cottage

G

Gar

Guest
My fiance and I purchased a house about a year ago in a small rural village.
Our house is detatched on a half acre site.
Directly next store is a small old cottege, on a plot which is surrounded on 2 sides by our garden and I understand has not been occupied for over 5 years.
The owner is allegedly an old lady in the UK who had inherited the cottege when her friend passed away.
Another neighbour on the other side of the cottege has been parking some of his business vehicles in the yard beside the cottege and I am wondering if they would have any squatter's rights in the event of the death of the owner?
Truthfully we would be very interested in buying and renovating the property for use as a holiday rental.
In the meantime we will be attempting to contact the owner but also wondered about the implications if she did not mention the cottege in a Will, how would ownership be established?

Appreciate any advise.
 
Re: Ownership of un-occupied cottege

If you get a map ( eg an ordnance survey map, or indeed your own land registry map may well show it) of the property, and contact the land registry, you will be able to do a search as to who owns it.

If someone other than the owner exercises continuous acts of occupation and possession contrary to the owners wishes for over 12 years, they could claim squattors title to the property.

I do not understand your reference to a will- do you mean the will of the previous owner or the lady in the UK that you believe to be the owner?
 
Re: Ownership of un-occupied cottege

I do not understand your reference to a will- do you mean the will of the previous owner or the lady in the UK that you believe to be the owner?
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip Vanilla. I actually wanted to find out the stance if the lady in the UK, whom I believe to be the current owner, did not metion it in her will.
 
Re: Ownership of un-occupied cottege

Gar said:
I do not understand your reference to a will- do you mean the will of the previous owner or the lady in the UK that you believe to be the owner?

Thanks for the tip Vanilla. I actually wanted to find out the stance if the lady in the UK, whom I believe to be the current owner, did not metion it in her will.
Click to expand...

If it was not mentioned or at least implied in her will or she had no will then it would probably be treated as if she dies intestate (without a will). There are statutory rules as to who inherits in such a case, starting I believe with spouse and/or children, then going further out in family relationships if there are no spouse/children. If there are no surviving family members as set out in the law then I believe the state gets it.
 
Re: Ownership of un-occupied cottege

sounds reasonable

Thanks for the advice
 
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