If a place has already caught your eye, the Land Registry should be your first stop. Enter the address into Land Register Online (www.landregisteronline.gov.uk) and for £3 you'll find out the name and contact details of the owner, if there is a mortgage on the property, and how much it was bought for if it has been sold since April 2000.
If you don't know the address of the property you can use the Aerial Land Locator system, also available on Land Register Online, or download a form and send it to your local Land Registry office.
Some land, however, is unregistered - in other words the Land Registry does not know who the owner is. This does not mean that there is not an owner; it is simply unregistered. In this case you need to speak to the Empty Property Officer at the local authority. Your negotiating skills may be put to the test, as many councils are reluctant to release information for fear of encouraging squatters and arsonists. For more information, see the Government's Directgov website.
The Empty Homes Agency (020 7828 6288) runs a campaign to bring abandoned properties back into use and their website is packed with practical advice.
'Most empty properties are depressing looking places that blight their surroundings,'says David Ireland, Policy Advisor with The Empty Homes Agency and author of How to Rescue a House: Turn an Unloved Property into Your Dream Home (£14.99, Penguin). 'But with a bit of luck, a touch of imagination and a lot of work, unloved buildings can become rewarding and valuable homes. In a housing market that has exploited nearly every niche, rescuing empty homes could be the last great chance for property investment. Don't miss it.'
Aside from out-and-out wrecks, you might spot a house that looks lived-in but unloved. Pop a gently worded note through the door explaining that you want to buy privately - the run-down condition may mean that the owner has a financial incentive to sell, or that they are elderly and it's become too much for them. It's worth a try.
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