Topic: land deeds, where can I find them ?

[manicscousers]

we would like to get some ex battery chickens and the club we have our allotments on have agreed, provided the council agree.
 They lease the land from the council. We have asked the council and they say we have to check the deeds in case there are any exclusions against livestock.
Can we find out on line, if we have to wait for the club to find out, it could be years  ??? ???

[ceres]

Do they mean the title deeds to the land which the council will hold or the lease agreement between the club and the council which both parties will have a copy of?

If it's the title deeds, you might get some information here - I think you have to pay a small fee:

http://www.landregistry.gov.uk

If it's the lease, you could try searching your council's website.

[stevie77]

don't know if this will help but on our site which is privately owned we have a tenancy agreement with the landlord and that stays with our secretary. our committee make decisions based on that and the help from NASLG.
steve

[Trevor_D]

We're in exactly the same position as you, stevie - we lease from the local Church charity and I hold a copy of the lease. (We are allowed to keep livestock.)

In your case, manics, I would have thought that the Council - as owners of the land & your landlords - would have a copy of the lease. If not, then surely the default is that you & they are bound by the relevant Allotment Acts. This can be searched on-line (Just Google it.) As I remember it, allotment-holders are allowed to keep chickens, but not cockerels. The only regulations which may apply relate to the size of the hen-house, which must fulfill the conditions of your contract with the Council. And I think that if the flock size exceeds a certain number you have to register with Defra, but I assume that's not likely to be so.

Sounds to me as if no-one can be bothered to look it up, so is just passing the buck.

[Sinbad7]

I would think manicscousers the council have to have the deeds, why don't you write to them asking for a copy?

If no joy there I would do a bit of research into your local area.  Your local history society should be able to help you there.

We had the same trouble on our site when the council were after taking the land back but I researched it and found out who had actually given the land to the council and then found out that nearly all the deeds of land for my area were held at King's College Cambridge, so went there and got a copy.  Very intersesting it was too as there is no way the council can touch our land, of course other than going to the Ministry.

Deeds are always good things to get hold of especially when your land is council owned.

Good luck.

Sinbad

[manicscousers]

thanks for all the advice, the guy told us to write to environmental services so I've e mailed them, just waiting for a reply  ;D
hope we can, everyone's so excited  ;D

[Rixy]

thanks for all the advice, the guy told us to write to environmental services so I've e mailed them, just waiting for a reply  ;D
hope we can, everyone's so excited  ;D

Failing that send an email off to your local Council's Freedom Of Information Officer requesting details or a copy of the deeds.  If the Council holds them then unless they have very good reason not to (which can be challenged by the way) they have to give you a reply within 20 working days.

Wonderful thing the FOI act :D