UK Homeowners Having Their Land Pulled Out From Under Their Feet

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In January 2017 that company transferred it to Adriatic Land 1 (GR3), while some of Darbyshire's neighbours have seen their freeholds transferred from Adriatic Land 2 (GR2) to Abacus Land Ltd. "You have no idea who owns the land under your feet," says Darbyshire. "Your dream house is traded from one offshore company to another for tax reasons, or who knows what else?"

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Paul Griffin bought a property from Morris Homes in Winsford, Cheshire, in November 2014. By last year, when he decided to add a conservatory, his freehold was in the hands of Adriatic Land 3 and managed by its fee-collecting agents HomeGround. Young was horrified to discover he had to pay £108 just to look at his file... HomeGround then demanded £1,200 for a "licence" for the work to go ahead. This was broken down into solicitors fees (£480), surveyors (£360), and its own fee of £360. On top of this it demanded numerous official documents at Young's expense totalling about £400.

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Helen Burke in Ellesmere Port, meanwhile, was shocked to discover that after Bellway sold her freehold to Adriatic, the cost of seeking consent for a small single-storey extension rocketed...

HomeGround then demanded £2,440 for consent. That is not planning permission, which householders must obtain separately from the local authority. It is simply a fee charged without any material services provided.