Do we still own this land?

positivenote

hi guys, Bit of a strange one for you all. The wife and I were informed by her mother that a lad knocked to her door a few months ago inquiring about information on a shop that they used to own in town.

The shop was sold according to her mother years ago, but she doesnt know if the land that it was built on was sold as well... basically my wifes father looked after all the paper work and he passed away over 10 years ago.

Ever since they sold the property (over 15 years ago) nothing has been done with it. I told the mam-in-law that I would try and find out any ifo that i could about the situation.

She says that she hasnt a clue who the solicitor that dealt with all was and thinks it may have been someone her husband knew at the time.

The main reason she's inquiring is as to how this stranger would come knocking at their door if they were not still registered as owners?

Dont ask were the deeds are as she doesnt have a clue...
what should our next step be in finding out if she has any entitlements on the land... as i say its still sitting there in town untouched since years ago but only yesterday I saw a huge for sale sign on it. I looked it up online and it is indeed for sale and they are accepting offers of 200k.
any help would be great
Thanks

Rasmus

positivenote wrote: »

hi guys, Bit of a strange one for you all. The wife and I were informed by her mother that a lad knocked to her door a few months ago inquiring about information on a shop that they used to own in town.

The shop was sold according to her mother years ago, but she doesnt know if the land that it was built on was sold as well... basically my wifes father looked after all the paper work and he passed away over 10 years ago.

Ever since they sold the property (over 15 years ago) nothing has been done with it. I told the mam-in-law that I would try and find out any ifo that i could about the situation.

She says that she hasnt a clue who the solicitor that dealt with all was and thinks it may have been someone her husband knew at the time.

The main reason she's inquiring is as to how this stranger would come knocking at their door if they were not still registered as owners?

Dont ask were the deeds are as she doesnt have a clue...
what should our next step be in finding out if she has any entitlements on the land... as i say its still sitting there in town untouched since years ago but only yesterday I saw a huge for sale sign on it. I looked it up online and it is indeed for sale and they are accepting offers of 200k.
any help would be great
Thanks

I'm sure you've checked with the Land Registry already, but just in case:
http://www.landregistry.ie/eng/About_Us/Land_Registry/

handlemaster

Land register would clear this up. The guy that called at the door might have been interested in buying it and was told by someone that your mother in law owned it....

Keep your post update would be interested to see how this one runs

Procrastastudy

If someone has been on the land for 15 years it's very likely they can apply for title under adverse possession.

murphaph

Procrastastudy wrote: »

If someone has been on the land for 15 years it's very likely they can apply for title under adverse possession.

Such things are rarely so easy to call. If the OP's family do own it and never actually tried to gain access then it wasn't adversely possessed! The occupier would have to prove adverse possession.

I doubt the place still belongs to the OP's family tbh.

riclad

IF shop was sold ,the new owner,or owners solicitor would have the deeds.OR the owners ,bank in the case where its a mortgaged property.

Procrastastudy

murphaph wrote: »

Such things are rarely so easy to call. If the OP's family do own it and never actually tried to gain access then it wasn't adversely possessed! The occupier would have to prove adverse possession.

I doubt the place still belongs to the OP's family tbh.

Either you or I have the parties confused.

housetypeb

Strange things can happen.
I know of a situation in west cork,ongoing for a number of years,where some people went to sell their family home, and found out that while they owned the house, they didn't actually own the land it was built on.
Seems the site had never been transferred into their name for some reason back in the 60s and the local farmer who found out he owns the site demanded £50k for it.
Don't know what's happening about the situation but nobody lives there at the moment and the house is now completely enclosed with overgrown shrubbery.
Word from the neighbors is that there is going to be a court case. Meanwhile the stand off between the farmer and the house owners continues.