For a long time I have tried to get a house with some land. I dont want the
land for anything other than to be away from neighbours ( I am an
antisocial old s*d). I haven't been able to find anything I want. Ideally I
want my current house but in a larger field. I currently have about half an
acre around me.

Where I live there is a field to the rear of me. It would give me the
distance I want from other people.
Its farmland and I know it cant be changed - besides there is an old mine
shaft in the middle of it.

Its not up for sale, but I was wondering if it is possible to approach the
owner to sell it. The owner doesn't use it at all. Ive lived at the rear of
this field for 7 years and all he does with it is let the grass grow and
cuts it in the summer.

How would I best go about this? Has anyone done such a thing? can I employ
someone to approach for me?

Whats the best way of doing something like this.

In message , lynd
writes
For a long time I have tried to get a house with some land. I dont want the
land for anything other than to be away from neighbours ( I am an
antisocial old s*d). I haven't been able to find anything I want. Ideally I
want my current house but in a larger field. I currently have about half an
acre around me.

Where I live there is a field to the rear of me. It would give me the
distance I want from other people.
Its farmland and I know it cant be changed - besides there is an old mine
shaft in the middle of it.

Its not up for sale, but I was wondering if it is possible to approach the
owner to sell it.

Of course it is.

The owner doesn't use it at all. Ive lived at the rear of
this field for 7 years and all he does with it is let the grass grow and
cuts it in the summer.

How would I best go about this?

Ask him?

Has anyone done such a thing? can I employ
someone to approach for me?

Probably, but I think a personal approach is best. Find out the sort of
price for land around there first so you have an idea of what to offer
if need be, then go and have a chat. I'd give better reason for wanting
the land though.
--
Chris French, Leeds

Where I live there is a field to the rear of me. It would give me the
distance I want from other people.
Its farmland and I know it cant be changed - besides there is an old mine
shaft in the middle of it.

Its not up for sale, but I was wondering if it is possible to approach the
owner to sell it. The owner doesn't use it at all. Ive lived at the rear
of
this field for 7 years and all he does with it is let the grass grow and
cuts it in the summer.

I wonder if, rather than buying it, you might be able to ask if he will
simply let you use the land. If not that then whether he'll rent you the
land. Buying it might be tricky - apart from the cost (he holds all the
cards), if it is farmland, converting it to domestic use will probably
involve getting planning permission too. An informal agreement between the
two of you might simply be easier.

However, I'd start by getting some plans of the area and finding out who
actually owns it (ie visiting the council). It sounds suspicious to me that
he maintains it but doesn't do anything with it. Are you sure he owns it?
What permissions does the land have? Maybe he can't use it for keeping
livestock/growing crops, for some reason.

Just my thoughts on this

"lynd" wrote in message
...
For a long time I have tried to get a house with some land. I dont
want the
land for anything other than to be away from neighbours ( I am an
antisocial old s*d). I haven't been able to find anything I want.
Ideally I
want my current house but in a larger field. I currently have about
half an
acre around me.

Where I live there is a field to the rear of me. It would give me
the
distance I want from other people.
Its farmland and I know it cant be changed - besides there is an
old mine
shaft in the middle of it.

Its not up for sale, but I was wondering if it is possible to
approach the
owner to sell it. The owner doesn't use it at all. Ive lived at the
rear of
this field for 7 years and all he does with it is let the grass grow
and
cuts it in the summer.

How would I best go about this? Has anyone done such a thing? can I
employ
someone to approach for me?

Whats the best way of doing something like this.




If you do manage to acquire the land, that old mine shaft may come
with some horrendous liabilites if some 'authority' decides it needs
capping / making safe etc. You'll probably find the owner biting your
hand off !

AWEM

In message , lynd
writes
For a long time I have tried to get a house with some land. I dont want the
land for anything other than to be away from neighbours ( I am an
antisocial old s*d). I haven't been able to find anything I want. Ideally I
want my current house but in a larger field. I currently have about half an
acre around me.

Where I live there is a field to the rear of me. It would give me the
distance I want from other people.
Its farmland and I know it cant be changed - besides there is an old mine
shaft in the middle of it.

Its not up for sale, but I was wondering if it is possible to approach the
owner to sell it. The owner doesn't use it at all. Ive lived at the rear of
this field for 7 years and all he does with it is let the grass grow and
cuts it in the summer.

How would I best go about this? Has anyone done such a thing? can I employ
someone to approach for me?

Whats the best way of doing something like this.

Just ask!

Bear in mind that the guy mowing the grass may be a tenant rather than
the owner.

Very little agricultural land has been on the market recently because of
the uncertainty regarding implementation of the *single farm payment* so
prices are unrealistically high.

Small areas of road frontage land with no possibility of planning for
houses can fetch 5K/acre. Ask your local land agent for a rough figure.

The downside about owning land is that you then have to manage it.
Various bits of legislation, injurious weeds act, harbouring vermin etc.
prevent you just leaving nature to take its course.

regards




--
Tim Lamb

"Stinkoman" wrote in message
...
Where I live there is a field to the rear of me. It would give me the
distance I want from other people.
Its farmland and I know it cant be changed - besides there is an old
mine
shaft in the middle of it.

Its not up for sale, but I was wondering if it is possible to approach
the
owner to sell it. The owner doesn't use it at all. Ive lived at the rear
of
this field for 7 years and all he does with it is let the grass grow and
cuts it in the summer.

I wonder if, rather than buying it, you might be able to ask if he will
simply let you use the land. If not that then whether he'll rent you the
land. Buying it might be tricky - apart from the cost (he holds all the
cards), if it is farmland, converting it to domestic use will probably
involve getting planning permission too. An informal agreement between the
two of you might simply be easier.

I dont want to convert the land. I dont want to use it at all. What I want
is to be able to go and stand in the middle of the field and know no one
else is there.

The field is at the back of me and so I can access it easily. The gate to
this field is up the lane next to my house and I own the lane. he doesnt
have access rights across it, although I have never stopped anyone using it.
All the other farmers use it to access their fields further up.

The farmer doesnt use the lane he accesses the field ( when he comes once a
year) through two other fields adjoining it at the bottom of the village. I
dont know where this one lives or even who he is. Apparently he is a part
time farmer with just this one field seperate from the rest of his land (
or so I have been told). The other farmers farm intensively up the lane. his
field is fallow. Of course he could be a bit like me and just wants to own
it.

The land is agrecultural only and I cant see it being changed because as I
said there is a bl**dy great mineshaft in the middle of it and no access as
such.

"chris French" wrote in message
news
In message , lynd
writes
Probably, but I think a personal approach is best. Find out the sort of
price for land around there first so you have an idea of what to offer
if need be, then go and have a chat. I'd give better reason for wanting
the land though.

What reason would you suggest then? I havent got any other reason. I might
keep geese or some other livestock, or if the land allowed it put up some
fruit trees, but I just want the field to go and stand in. I know that
sounds odd but I am an odd person.

"Andrew Mawson" wrote in message
...

"lynd" wrote in message
...
If you do manage to acquire the land, that old mine shaft may come
with some horrendous liabilites if some 'authority' decides it needs
capping / making safe etc. You'll probably find the owner biting your
hand off !


nearly every field in the village has a mineshaft in it. Most farmers
plough round them. This one is just left. I have never looked at it because
I dont own the field and wont trespass. Could that be the reason he doesn't
use this field? I estimate the field to be relatively small - about five
acres.

In message , lynd
writes

"chris French" wrote in message
news
In message , lynd
writes
Probably, but I think a personal approach is best. Find out the sort of
price for land around there first so you have an idea of what to offer
if need be, then go and have a chat. I'd give better reason for wanting
the land though.

What reason would you suggest then? I havent got any other reason. I might
keep geese or some other livestock, or if the land allowed it put up some
fruit trees, but I just want the field to go and stand in. I know that
sounds odd but I am an odd person.


Saying I don't like neighbours doesn't come across very well. Saying I'd
like more space, /plant an orchard/ plant a wood etc. sounds more
positive.
--
Chris French, Leeds

In message , Stinkoman
writes
Where I live there is a field to the rear of me. It would give me the
distance I want from other people.
Its farmland and I know it cant be changed - besides there is an old mine
shaft in the middle of it.

Its not up for sale, but I was wondering if it is possible to approach the
owner to sell it. The owner doesn't use it at all. Ive lived at the rear
of
this field for 7 years and all he does with it is let the grass grow and
cuts it in the summer.

I wonder if, rather than buying it, you might be able to ask if he will
simply let you use the land. If not that then whether he'll rent you the
land. Buying it might be tricky - apart from the cost (he holds all the
cards), if it is farmland, converting it to domestic use will probably
involve getting planning permission too. An informal agreement between the
two of you might simply be easier.

You can still do a lot with agricultural land - plant an orchard, plant
a wood, grow vegetables
--
Chris French, Leeds

"lynd" wrote in message ...
For a long time I have tried to get a house with some land. I dont want the
land for anything other than to be away from neighbours ( I am an
antisocial old s*d). I haven't been able to find anything I want. Ideally I
want my current house but in a larger field. I currently have about half an
acre around me.

Where I live there is a field to the rear of me. It would give me the
distance I want from other people.
Its farmland and I know it cant be changed - besides there is an old mine
shaft in the middle of it.

Its not up for sale, but I was wondering if it is possible to approach the
owner to sell it. The owner doesn't use it at all. Ive lived at the rear of
this field for 7 years and all he does with it is let the grass grow and
cuts it in the summer.

How would I best go about this? Has anyone done such a thing? can I employ
someone to approach for me?

Whats the best way of doing something like this.


Maybe you could get your solicitor or an estate agent to make an
anonimous offer for you, that way it's a buyers market. If he knows
it's the neighbour to it making the offer, then it's a sellers market.
Alternatively you could just say hello to him when he's mowing it and
make him a low offer which he may then try to raise you on.
Or maybe you could just lease it from him until you snuff it? If he
needs the grass for hey, he can keep it trimmed for you. The point of
leasing it would be to have control over what happens on it (or
rather, what doesn't).
M.K.

In message , lynd
wrote

The owner doesn't use it at all. Ive lived at the rear of
this field for 7 years and all he does with it is let the grass grow and
cuts it in the summer.

Perhaps he makes a living from it by getting a EU set-aside payment.

--
Alan

"lynd" wrote in message
...

Whats the best way of doing something like this.

Make a good offer - verablly! Don't press for a decision, but make it easy for
the owner to accept the offer after he/she has had time to think about it. e.g.
leave your phone number on a piece of paper.

But:

a) Find out about the mine shaft and its implications.

b) Consider the question of access to the land, particulary if you want to be
able to sell it again at some time in the future.

--

Michael Chare

In article , chris French
writes
In message , lynd
writes

"chris French" wrote in message
news
In message , lynd
writes
Probably, but I think a personal approach is best. Find out the sort of
price for land around there first so you have an idea of what to offer
if need be, then go and have a chat. I'd give better reason for wanting
the land though.

What reason would you suggest then? I havent got any other reason. I might
keep geese or some other livestock, or if the land allowed it put up some
fruit trees, but I just want the field to go and stand in. I know that
sounds odd but I am an odd person.


Saying I don't like neighbours doesn't come across very well. Saying I'd
like more space, /plant an orchard/ plant a wood etc. sounds more
positive.

Possibly mention some use that wouldn't be worth much money, eg
keeping a few sheep, you certainly wouldn't want to give any hint that you
are effectively wanting a bigger garden and the trees/orchard suggestion
might give that impression, leading to cash register eyes.
--
fred

lynd wrote in message
...
snip

Apparently he is a part
time farmer with just this one field seperate from the rest of his land (
or so I have been told).


Of course he could be a bit like me and just wants to own
it.


Just out of curiosity what does he cut it with?


--
Mark§
This is an automatic signature of unknown origin

"Mark" wrote in message
...

lynd wrote in message
...
snip

Apparently he is a part
time farmer with just this one field seperate from the rest of his land
(
or so I have been told).


Of course he could be a bit like me and just wants to own
it.


Just out of curiosity what does he cut it with?

A contractor comes round with a tractor and attachment and cuts it for him.
I guess he is cutting it to meadow hay.

I know the contractor because he cuts/ bales/ ploughs etc a number of fields
for different farmers.
I have never met the land owner because he doesn't come up and see the field
as far as I am aware.

In message , Alan
writes
In message , lynd
wrote

The owner doesn't use it at all. Ive lived at the rear of
this field for 7 years and all he does with it is let the grass grow and
cuts it in the summer.

Perhaps he makes a living from it by getting a EU set-aside payment.

Only if it was in arable production in 1991.

regards


--
Tim Lamb