‘They Were Conning Us’ Self Builder Shares Story of Buying Nightmare Plot

Julia and Robert Adams had a lucky escape during their second self build, when they narrowly dodged buying a substandard plot under shady circumstances.

I’ve asked Julia to share her story and what advice she has for fellow self builders. Read on to find out how you can avoid the same thing happening to you.

Tell us about the site that you ultimately decided against buying

While browsing an estate agent’s website, we found a plot in Gloucestershire with planning permission and building control approval for an attractive eco home. It looked brilliant, so we requested all its documentation to put in our tender.

Despite constant reminders, the estate agent only made files available to us a week before the application deadline, and some were still missing with just days to go. It wasn’t fantastic service.

We put in our offer, subject to receiving the right information, and won the bid. Then we started to find issues.

There were pockets of Fuller’s earth – a type of absorbent clay susceptible to movement that could cause subsidence – in the area and an undisclosed gas main underneath the footprint of the proposed property. The north-western site boundary was unmarked and the vendors refused to clarify it correctly.

When my husband, Robert, took matters into his own hands, he found that a neighbour was using 25m² of the site as a driveway!

We were left unsure of what exactly we would be buying and if we would be plunged into a legal battle with the residents next door.

Key documents about ground conditions were also missing. There was, however, a 2014 preliminary geological survey appraising the land’s condition.

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