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Need to Sell

An affected party may be able to sell their property through the Need to Sell Scheme, if a “compelling reason” to sell can be demonstrated, but a sale cannot be achieved as a direct result of the announcement of High Speed 2.

Compelling reasons include unemployment, relocation for a new job or ill health, however each application is judged on its own merits.

An owner occupier of a residential, commercial or agricultural property may be eligible for the Need To Sell, along with the “personal representative” of an owner occupier (if they have died) or a “reluctant landlord”.

Those commercial property owners whose Rateable Value exceeds £36,000 (£44,200 in Greater London) are NOT eligible for the scheme.

An owner occupier must be the freeholder or leaseholder with at least 3 years left on the lease and must be in occupation, or has been so for at least 6 months in the last 18 months where vacant.

In order to qualify for the scheme an affected party must meet the following criteria:

  • Property type – residential, agricultural or commercial (with a Rateable Value of no more than £36,000).
  • Location – close enough to the route that it will substantially be affected by the construction or operation of the line
  • Effort to Sell – a claimant must have tried to sell the property without success for at least 3 months.
  • No prior knowledge – the claimant must have bought or signed the lease before the publication of the route section closest to the property
  • Compelling reason to sell – evidence of a compelling reason to sell must be provided, or it can be demonstrated that a claimant would be placed under an unreasonable burden if they were unable to sell in the next 3 years.

Successful Claims

If an application is successful, the claimant will receive 100% of the unblighted Market Value of the property.
Additional costs such as legal fees or removal costs are not covered.

What other compensation entitlements are available?