outdoorlig

Since time immemorial free land claiming is in vogue since people are always on the lookout for free land or property to settle on. One can look towards America as one of the biggest examples of this.

Coming to mode times, as high as 40% of all land in England and Wales is unregistered! Did you know this? This means, that if you have a little bit of patience and motivation, you can also get your hands on a decent plot of land for yourself.

Free land or property search is the first step followed by those of owner tracing, registration check and adverse possession in the entire process of free land claim. However, what you need to do first is to get yourself accustomed to the concepts related to registration.

After 1990, the only plots of land to have found place in the land registry are the ones which have changed hands or have been mortgaged. Simply out, 40% of the land does not feature in this category.

A common misconception is that unregistered land means unowned land. However, the fact is that any land has an owner somewhere. But the good news is that it doesn't make it un- claimable an affair.

Free property claiming begins with the step of property identification. In simple words, you need to choose the piece of land to stake your claim on from amidst all the plots that you see and for this you need to be able to observe and identify those sure signs that always accompany such plots of land.

You can identify these signs if you have your observer's eye open as you roam around your neighborhood and its surroundings.

The characteristic features of an abandoned plot of land usually are overgrown gates and gardens, broken or bordered up windows, shrub lands, derelicts, old commercial premises or industrial buildings, etc.

These signs are not so obvious and hence you need to take regular walks around your neighborhood in order to notice them. Drive around and you'll definitely miss the same.

After property identification, the next step is that of registration check where you find out from the local land registry whether your chosen piece of land is registered, unregistered or pending first application.

Pending First application means that someone else has already beaten you in the race and has claimed the said pot of land. Hence, you need to go back to the property identification step once more.

If it is already registered it might still mean that the owner has died without leaving any relatives or that he has permanently settled abroad. So you still have a chance.

The best case scenario is if the land is unregistered since it means that you can claim it straightaway. But it may also mean that there exists an owner who has not registered it yet.

You need to show later on that you have put in your best efforts to contact the original owner and hence, irrespective of whether your plot of land is registered or unregistered, owner tracing is your next essential step.

Since the immediate neighbors are the best people to know about the original owner, interviewing them is your main job while owner tracing.

The local post office, electoral roles, milkmen, landlords are all information sources for you. Contact the probate registry office in case the original owner is dead.

The next step for you is adverse possession where you need to forcefully show that the free land or property is yours. So you might put up a fence or a signboard saying 'No Trespassing'. Moreover, keep a record of your claim start date by drawing up a document and getting it signed by two witnesses.

Your adverse possession activities might be helpful in tracing the owner quickly since you might expect a hurried retu after putting up a 'No Trespassing' sign! There are many websites and agencies who carry out the detective work in lieu of a fee.

One may also source the online sites where all necessary rules, regulations and even form templates are provided. One also gets to source information from the CDs and booklets available from the market.