# Next door semi never occupied. Advice needed



## bo-jangles (5 Jun 2011)

I moved into a semi detached house over 5 years ago.
I was told by the builder/developer that he intended to move into the attached semi when he finished building mine.

Five years on and the house next door is still derelict and only the frame of the house is finished. As a result the property is going into a state of disrepair. The garden is attracting vermin and in summer dry timber and grasses go on fire during the dry spells. This is worrying because I was away once when this happened and only for the help of another neighbour who extinguished the fire. Who knows what would have being the outcome. The house is also attracting anti social behaviour from local kids.  

I have asked the builder to sell the property to me if he has no intention to move in or finish it.  He tends to brush me off with some excuse that he will finish it in the future. Now he won't answer my calls.

So the question is where do I start to get the ball rolling in regards to making him responsible for this property or acquiring the property myself ie.adverse possession. 

I have know idea where the builder lives and doubt he he still uses the mobile no I have for him as it always rings out.

 Any advice would really be appreciated.

Thanks in advance Bo-jangles


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## ontour (5 Jun 2011)

Might be worth contacting your local authority to act under the [broken link removed].  Due to resource constraints they may not be able to take many of the actions but if you can pursue them to contact the builder it may encourage him to do something about it.


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## Bronte (6 Jun 2011)

You need 12 years to have elapsed before you can apply for adverse possession.


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## muchmore (11 Jul 2011)

You won't get away withthe adverse possession plan- probably not, as you have not exclusively used the property adverse to his original ownership. also you will make enemies doing this, land grabbing, as it can be known, won't always appealing to the neighbours...    it's best to try to reason this out. google his name or find out anyone who knows him what his address is... put a strong case to him that you can getthe council to acton the derelict nature of the place (if this is possible) and then ask theat you two reachan amicable solution (you buying it is one good option, if you can afford to...)


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## cairn (12 Jul 2011)

My understanding is that once you have acknowledged at any point that another party owns the property then you can never acquire it by Adverse Possession. By offering to purchase it from him it seems to me that AP is off the table as a future option.


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## monagt (12 Jul 2011)

cairn said:


> My understanding is that once you have acknowledged at any point that another party owns the property then you can never acquire it by Adverse Possession. By offering to purchase it from him it seems to me that AP is off the table as a future option.



Dunno if this is correct (ask Pat Kenny)


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## WizardDr (15 Jul 2011)

On adverse possession 
- its twelve years
- clock starts when you take possession (such as you fence it off and use it)
- so the previous five years ..you dont say you did anything that meant you took possession ..even if you did ..and even if the offer negated this ..then the clock would start again ..
- but I dont see you have done anything yet ..worth a punt

More detail if you want


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