Help regarding title deeds (scotland)

[SS]

I am sure this is a scam of some sort but thought I would post here for information.

Basically I am selling my father in laws house and advertised it on a free site, I have received an email bla bla bla that he is interested ............................copy of main content below.

Any idea what his scam maybe (or is it genuine) How would he use a copy of the deeds? For what? I googled his email addy and it came up with 3 listings against properties although I couldn`t see his addy in them.

"make an offer higher than its market value and buy it. can you email me a site plan which are in your title deeds or you can get from your library.are there any preserved trees/wells/streams,over-hanging trees from neighbouring properties/land,any main drains on your site,any restricitve covenants(email me copy of title deeds because i need to make sure about covenants).are you in a conservation area,greenbelt area. are you aware of any planning policies which will hinder any extra dwelling/s. the deal will not restrict you in being tied until we get planning.you can still sell it whilst we apply for planning,that's the risk we take. before we waste each others time we need a copy of your site plan/title deeds. all i have to go on is the particulars on the internet of your property.i cant make a definite decision without a plan i can then send you a draft agreement once you have done the above and want to proceed. i await your reply and site plan/title deeds "

[Phil L]

You are better off asking in uk.legal

[Owain]

I don't know why someone would want to buy a property at above market value without viewing it; even if he has to travel a long way and wants to eliminate pointless viewings it sounds unnecessary.

If he wants a site plan he can buy his own copy of the deeds from Registers of Scotland.

Prospective purchasers must "satisfy themselves by their own inspection and enquiry" as to all the other questions he asks.

"are you aware of any planning policies which will hinder any extra dwelling/s."

Ding-dong! Bells are ringing. He wants to put another house in your garden. He can apply for *outline* planning permission for that without being the owner. The reason he wants the site plan is so he can trace it and use it for his planning application.

If you think it likely this would be successful (suitable access, plot size, local development plan etc) then you could apply for it yourself yourself, or even sell off the plot separately.

Chatting to local Planning Officer might reveal if similar applications have been successful or received. Bear in mind this person might also approach neighbours offering to buy bits of their gardens to make a larger plot or gain access.

IANALorPlanningOfficer

Owain

[Adam Aglionby]

Hasn`t done a lot of research on your particular area, not like he is after land in a specific area and would be aware of local planning policies.

Think its fairly easy to pull site plan from Meadowbank House, Registers of Scotland, used a lot to define boundaries, along with historic maps, aerial photos etc in case of dispute.....

Mebbe genuine and looking for anything described as detached as possibilty for re-development looking to pay as little as possible and looking through unconventional means to gain best price.

May also be aware that adverts for property in free ads may be from unsophisticated vendors acting without rigorous professional advice behind them, which if there is a scam involved would also make them more of a target.

Solicitor will not actually need paid until the payment for the property is cleared , phone round and ask for a quote , some of the stuffed shirts will fall over at being asked to `quote like a plumber` , next, the yellow pages is full of them.

Even see a couple , should be happy to tell you about what they can do for you and why you should instruct them without cost for an intial consultation.

Even if you are happy to market a property yourself will still need conveyancing back up and protection from predators....

Cheers Adam

[SS]

Hasn`t done a lot of research on your particular area, not like he is after land in a specific area and would be aware of local planning policies.

Think its fairly easy to pull site plan from Meadowbank House, Registers of Scotland, used a lot to define boundaries, along with historic maps, aerial photos etc in case of dispute.....

Mebbe genuine and looking for anything described as detached as possibilty for re-development looking to pay as little as possible and looking through unconventional means to gain best price.

May also be aware that adverts for property in free ads may be from unsophisticated vendors acting without rigorous professional advice behind them, which if there is a scam involved would also make them more of a target.

Solicitor will not actually need paid until the payment for the property is cleared , phone round and ask for a quote , some of the stuffed shirts will fall over at being asked to `quote like a plumber` , next, the yellow pages is full of them.

Even see a couple , should be happy to tell you about what they can do for you and why you should instruct them without cost for an intial consultation.

Even if you are happy to market a property yourself will still need conveyancing back up and protection from predators....

Cheers Adam

Thanks for the comments guys it kind of gives me a view on it.

I will sell through `proper` channels but have just put on a couple of free sites for the time being to see what interest there is within the current market place. I might leave for another month or so before I go `legal`

[Cicero]

================================================

The fact that they seem very interested in the existence of covenants suggests that they might be genuine as covenants can be difficult to circumvent. On the other hand the potential buyer might be a bit devious - using covenants as a red herring.

Traditional advice applies - don't buy a pig in a poke.

Cic.

[Tony Bryer]

Yes, but the permission runs with the land, not the applicant. So if you apply for OPP on a site you don't own and it is granted, you're now left having to pay an enhanced price. Normal procedure would be to enter into a contract subject to PP - effectively you are sharing the risk and reward with the prospective purchaser.

[geoff]

Well, it's a common scam with other goods

I just typed "above market value scam" into google and it came up with plenty of hits

[SS]

He is barking up the wrong tree in any case as it is an end terrace (ex council) and not a hope in hell of getting permission anyway, apart from that within land build ratios at best he could build a garage. If he had taken the postcode and googled he would see the potential for himself which makes me think there is some sort of scam but cant work it out. Maybe I should ask for £50 upfront to get him the copy and see how he responds

[fred]

In article , SS writes

Watch out for the suggestion that by sending him anything that you have instructed him to carry out some sort of work for you for a fee.

[SS]

Fair point Fred

[Man at B&Q]

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So why not just tell him so? You've probably expended more effort than simply doing that already.

MBQ

[RobertL]

Can't you just send him the Home Information Pack? The information must be in there surely.

My prediction is that he will be (or pretend to be) a developer and he will offer you an option. the story will be that he will apply for PP and if he gets PP he will buy. but essentially this means that you agree a price now and he can choose, in a year's time, whether to buy it at that price. he will expect to pay nothing for this option becuase he "has to bear the cost of the PP application". In reality he gets a valuable option for nothing. if house prices have risen in a year he buys at the agreed price, if not he doesn't. he can't lose.

Robert

[David WE Roberts]

I just tried this and the only hit which had anything to do with property scams was this thread.

It certainly doesn't seem to be an obvious or well known 'get rich quick' scam.

[geoff]

In message , David WE Roberts writes

Its certainly not unknown in the car trade