ROTTING PLOT

IN between my house and next door there’s a small patch of land. The owner has been refused planning permission to build on it and the land is now neglected and attracts trouble-makers, but the owner doesn’t want to know. Instead he wants £15,000 for an oversized garden. Is there anything I can do to make him look after his property? You can’t usually force people to maintain their property unless there’s a covenant to that effect in their title deeds. Positive covenants to maintain are often unenforceable. Your best solution may be to get your solicitor to make the owner a reasonable offer for the land. It sounds as though he may blame you for the fact that he was refused planning permission, but your solicitor may be able to make him discuss the sale at a price acceptable to both of you.