Had to pay solicitor to prove I don’t own the Council’s land!
by Mick Roberts
You couldn’t make this up. The neighbour to one of my houses I’ve owned 22 years asked Nottingham Council to maintain their trees close to his house. Nottingham Council said Not our trees, they’re that Landlord Mr Roberts. I of course said Not mine, they’re the Council’s.
Nottm Council went to Notts Council, and they couldn’t decide amongst themselves and their army of Legal experts and solicitors who owned it-Obviously can’t read Legal documents, so the Council wrote back to the Neighbour and said Not ours, and to take Legal action against me.
And they can’t come out to look because they are on Mick Roberts land.
I had to contact my solicitor, pay their not cheap fees as you know, and my solicitor found the answer in 30 minutes.
Now here’s the biggie, after me now proving I don’t own and the Council do, the Council now WON’T pay my solicitors fees. Even though I have emails from them acknowledging their mistake, they’re now refusing to pay and say I’m to contact their insurers.
These are the same people that operate Licensing that tell us how to rent houses out. And what the tenants can and can’t do.
Nottingham Council seems toxic through and through. From top to bottom. NEVER listen to us on the ground. I’ve housed that many of Nottingham Council homeless over the years and NOT ONCE has the Council come to ask me how me and the tenants I’ve helped them out with, how we’d be affected.
If they’d have rung me on the first instance on this tree case, voilà. But Oh no, no communication from the Council & they are driving me insane.
Update 22 June 2021
I’d put in an official complaint for Council to pay my legal fees due to their inadequacies, they’ve obviously not read the letter properly, passed it to Tree services who have replied-Not our land.
Gees, these people!
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Member Since July 2013 - Comments: 2002 - Articles: 21
10:10 AM, 23rd June 2021, About 5 years ago
Hi Mick, the simple answer was to say to the neighbour and the Council: “The Land Registry Map search will show what land is registered and from there it is easy to see who owns which land. It is not for me to prove I do not own this land but for you to prove that I do. Please search at the Land Registry and come back to me with evidence that I own the land” .Property solicitors such as I have access to the Land Registry Portal and can do a Map Search in 30 seconds and obtain register entries in a few minutes.
Problems can arise if land is not registered as you need to see title deeds. Nottingham became subject to compuslory registration in 1969/1974 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/first-registrations/practice-guide-1-first-registrations#when-land-became-subject-to-compulsory-registration so you would have purchased afterwards. Therefore your property will be registered (unless some rare exception applied, e.g. you were gifted the property or inherited it). Any unregistered land, such as verges is likely to be the Council’s.
Member Since January 2011 - Comments: 12212 - Articles: 1408
10:16 AM, 23rd June 2021, About 5 years ago
Mick
This is who you should complain to https://www.lgo.org.uk/
Please let me know how you get on
Member Since May 2015 - Comments: 2204 - Articles: 2
12:13 PM, 23rd June 2021, About 5 years ago
It seems that Nottingham is trying to rival Liverpool as the worst council in the land. It still has some way togo but seems to be catching up fast.
Member Since December 2015 - Comments: 828
12:15 PM, 23rd June 2021, About 5 years ago
issue claim in scc? or high court?
Member Since July 2013 - Comments: 23
12:20 PM, 23rd June 2021, About 5 years ago
The land registry records are available to anyone online:-
https://onlinelandregistry.org.uk/
They charge, from memory, £3 for each record.
Member Since October 2018 - Comments: 149
12:40 PM, 23rd June 2021, About 5 years ago
As above I fail to see why you had to get Solicitors involved when a simple £3 to the Land Reg would have proved ownership.
If you try to claim costs I think you may be on a loser !
Member Since July 2013 - Comments: 2002 - Articles: 21
12:42 PM, 23rd June 2021, About 5 years ago
Reply to the comment left by David Griffith at 23/06/2021 – 12:20David
The link you gave is to a private company that charges £20 + VAT for Register, £20 + VAT for the Filed Plan or a bargain basement price of £38 + VAT for both!! Better to go to https://eservices.landregistry.gov.uk/eservices/FindAProperty/view/QuickEnquiryInit.do?id=p_search_link I don’t think the public have the same access so it could be quicker to use a solicitor.
Member Since July 2013 - Comments: 2002 - Articles: 21
12:44 PM, 23rd June 2021, About 5 years ago
Reply to the comment left by terry sullivan at 23/06/2021 – 12:15
issue claim in scc? or high court? Hold your horses. I think it is doubtful Mick will recover anything from the Council and the costs of any action are likely to exceed the sum he wants to recover.
Member Since July 2013 - Comments: 23
12:55 PM, 23rd June 2021, About 5 years ago
Ian,
Thanks for pointing out the error in the link I posted – I should have checked it first.
Professionals may be have extra features available to them but I have used it often to see the deeds and maps detailing the property boundaries..
Member Since May 2021 - Comments: 3
2:33 PM, 23rd June 2021, About 5 years ago
Just take over the land if you have letters from the council stating the land is yours lol