Kat
Well-Known Member
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If you are paying rent for the field then you aren't a squatter. So squatters rights don't apply. In anyevent squatters in the UK have to be there for 12 years solid iirc.
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Tell that to a farmer near us! They rented a field which went with a private bungalow; owners of bungalow wanted to sell so gave them notice to quit; they refused. 20 years later, they are still paying a peppercorn rent for the field but the bungalow had to be sold much cheaper than it should have been although the owner refuses to do any upkeep of field while they are still there. Nobody has been able to shift them and I thank my lucky stars that we insisted on a formal agreement with move off dates included, drawn up by Wright Manley for the fields here when my father in law died that they wanted to rent which they were very cross about signing but we knew what had happened before so weren't taking any chances with them!
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He still isn't a squatter! He is enforcing his right to continue the tenancy, but could be evicted through the courts. Squatters actually "earn" the ownership of the land by staying rent free and without permission for over 12 years.
If you are staying on the land without paying rent but with the full knowledge and permission of the owner you aren't squatting either.
This isn't my specialist area but squatters rights aren't as easy to get in this country as many believe. As a landowner the safest thing is to have a written agreement, and to be honest it is as a tennant too, but even without a written agreement the OP would be entitled to fair notice to quit.
OP - if you are good friends, get on well and he knows your wishes you might get lucky, maybe he will leave the land to you! I know someone who was left their loan horse in the owners will!
[ QUOTE ]
If you are paying rent for the field then you aren't a squatter. So squatters rights don't apply. In anyevent squatters in the UK have to be there for 12 years solid iirc.
[/ QUOTE ]
Tell that to a farmer near us! They rented a field which went with a private bungalow; owners of bungalow wanted to sell so gave them notice to quit; they refused. 20 years later, they are still paying a peppercorn rent for the field but the bungalow had to be sold much cheaper than it should have been although the owner refuses to do any upkeep of field while they are still there. Nobody has been able to shift them and I thank my lucky stars that we insisted on a formal agreement with move off dates included, drawn up by Wright Manley for the fields here when my father in law died that they wanted to rent which they were very cross about signing but we knew what had happened before so weren't taking any chances with them!
[/ QUOTE ]
He still isn't a squatter! He is enforcing his right to continue the tenancy, but could be evicted through the courts. Squatters actually "earn" the ownership of the land by staying rent free and without permission for over 12 years.
If you are staying on the land without paying rent but with the full knowledge and permission of the owner you aren't squatting either.
This isn't my specialist area but squatters rights aren't as easy to get in this country as many believe. As a landowner the safest thing is to have a written agreement, and to be honest it is as a tennant too, but even without a written agreement the OP would be entitled to fair notice to quit.
OP - if you are good friends, get on well and he knows your wishes you might get lucky, maybe he will leave the land to you! I know someone who was left their loan horse in the owners will!
