Plot Pre-Purchase Checklist

[Ferdinand]

We had useful checklists at EBuild.

 

Since I am looking at plots, I thought it would be useful to make a start with things that can be checked or thought about before actually purchasing the plot.

 

I am looking for questions, issues, places where checks can be done, and useful sources of information.

 

Please drop any useful thoughts and links in the thread, then when we have done a bit the admins can decide where to put it if worth preserving.

 

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** References

 

Wayleaves:

 

These are rights for third parties to use your land which do not provide the owner with services, eg to put an electricity pole or have oversailing wires. They may be mentioned in deeds, or enshrined in an agreement, and you may (or may not) be able to get them moved unilaterally or by agreement, for no money or at significant cost. Discussed on buildhub in this thread: Wayleaves and Overhead Wires.

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** Information I am looking for for the checklist:

 

Sewers - Where can we get maps?

Checking Boundaries.

Checking for TPOs.

How to look at Former Planning Permissions.

Check details of former sales listings.

Check viability of road access.

What can I tell about the ground conditions from inspection of the plot.

How to check previous site usages.

 

 

Edited February 6, 2017 by Ferdinand

[Redoctober]

Having been through this process myself recently the following might be useful to a wider audience -

 

http://www.national-one-call.co.uk/?gclid=CN-i4rjE-9ECFc2d7Qodtv4Nqg

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/land-registry

 

The rest of your list can be covered by talking to the interested parties - Solicitors, Estate Agents, Neighbours and the such like.

 

PW.

[Temp]

 

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Sewers - Where can we get maps?

Services like the National One Call suggested by Redoctober didn't exist when we built our house. Some utility companies like Southern Water have their own online service (not that I've used it)..

 https://www.southernwater.co.uk/mains-and-sewer-maps

 It can be tricky getting the direct dial phone number for the right department at utility companies but if you can manage it then it might be worth trying to blag a map if it's urgent... "I'm digging on a site and I've hit a pipe/cable. Any chance I could pop into your office later and pick up a map?" Before you make that call make sure you have a 6 figure map reference and the scale you need. Oh and don't forget to ask where their office is.

 

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Checking Boundaries [/quote]

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Get a site plan from the Land Registry (by email via their web site) and a good OS mam. Check as many dimensions as possible using a scale rule and a 50/60m tape measure (Screwfix etc) on the ground. Don't just measure the length/width of the site but check that the distance from any other land marks to the boundary is correct. If the plot has planning permission check the approved house actually fits on the plot! My plot is the right width but the whole plot seems to be shifter over about 1 meter relative to the old church one side and the 16C cottage the other. Beware that the site plan and the land registry in general do not determine where the site boundary is legally. That can only be decided by a court so if you suspect any kind of boundary issue get the seller to sort it before you buy.  

 

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Checking for TPOs

The Tree Officer at the Council/County Council will be able to tell you but asking him will tip off the planners that you are thinking of cutting down trees and they might suddenly hit you with a TPO that wasn't there before.  If the plot is in a conservation area the rules say you have to assume all trees have a TPO on them and act accordingly.

 If a TPO was imposed before 2012 then the specific details of that TPO might no longer apply due to this legislation, although the actual TPO itself is still in force.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/6076/2127685.pdf

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How to look at Former Planning Permissions.

Most planning departments have an online database. You can search by Planning Reference Number, Address or by location on a map. Beware that a site may have several files/applications associated with it under different names (eg "Land north of ABC" and "land south of DEF" can refer to the same plot). Online you can usually find all the documents related to an application including objection letters. What will not be online is any "pre application advice" issued to previous owners. If the owner is telling you that it will be easy to get planning permission because he has spoken to the planning officer then ask to see the pre-application advice letters. Not all letters between the planning officer and the previous applicant will be online. Sometimes you can make an appointment at the planning office to see the planning officers paper file which might have more in it. After a year of negotiating with the planners we discovered our planning office had a file I didn't know about that was very helpful to our application - so if can be worth spending time trying to find every letter or note.   

 

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Check details of former sales listings.

Depends on the detail you are trying to check. People in the local pub told me that my site had once been auctioned off in the pub itself. 

 

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Check viability of road access

The highway agency will be able to tell you if they have adopted a road. If there is any doubt about the ownership or your right of access then raise it with your solicitor. You might have to do a "map search" at the land registry. That involves you marking out an area of land on a map and the LR will tell you which title deeds they have that are in that area. The grass verge between my plot and the tarmac road is quite wide and not shown on my title plan so I asked the Highway Agency and they confirmed it was part of the highway. That means anyone has a right to cross it, including me (which was the point of asking them).

 

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What can I tell about the ground conditions from inspection of the plot.

Look for soil type. Heavy clay might mean soakaways can't be used. That can give you serious problems because in most areas you can't put rainwater into the sewer anymore. In that case look for any ditches or piped ditches along the boundary as you might be allowed to put rainwater into those (perhaps after you have done some storm surge mitigation). Look for any evidence of surface water pipes or ditches across your plot as neighbours may have  a right to discharge into them.  

Look for any signs of contamination - coloured or oil stains, lots of metal, concrete, asbestos etc.

[quote]How to check previous site usages[/quote]

Old/historic maps can be found online. Some are free such as Google maps/sat view.

The EA have lots of data...  http://apps.environment-agency.gov.uk/wiyby/

As does the government..  https://data.gov.uk/data/search

for example this looks like it might be useful..

https://data.gov.uk/dataset/historic-landfill1 

Local libraries sometimes have really old maps that can only be examined by making a request/appointment.

 

Edited February 6, 2017 by Temp

[Temp]

Sorry my quote tags are obviously all wrong. How do I edit them? The editor doesn't show them like it did on ebuild.

[TheMitchells]

Location of trees on the plot (and near the boundary), their size and species is useful to know as they may affect costs of foundations.