Is there anyway to get a house without buying it off the owner?
If the actual owner is indeed living in a council house, the situation may be more complicated that it may appear. If, for instance, it was built by a relative who then passed away, he may not have the funds to pay the inheritance tax on the property in order to inherit it properly, so it may infact not really be under his control. It’s extremely unlikely that he doesn’t know he owns it. There is no law governing the amount of time a house can remain empty. I’d recommend sending a letter to the owner, as you may get a positive reply, otherwise you certainly won’t get anywhere. Look into Squatters Rights, if you really want it. Bear in mind they changed from the old fashioned law in 2002.
