Received a letter from a developer about your land?

By Iain Forster, The Land Buyer. Last reviewed 2026-10-05.

In shortDevelopers write to landowners whose land shows up as having development potential on public maps and registers. A letter commits you to nothing. Ask every writer four questions: who buys at the end, who pays for planning, what happens if planning fails and will you pay for my solicitor. Compare the answers in writing before you talk terms with anyone.

If your land touches a village you will get letters. Some come from serious buyers, some from land agents collecting options to sell on, some from companies that write to every field in a parish. They all look alike. The way to tell them apart is to ask the same questions of each and keep the answers.

How they found you

The registered owner of land is public at HM Land Registry. Anyone can buy the register for a few pounds and read the name and address. That is lawful. What matters is what they do with it: a single letter about a specific piece of land, with a clear way to say no, is fair use. A stream of letters you cannot stop is not.

The four questions

Who will buy my land at the end? A serious buyer names the kind of buyer. A collector of options says "a housebuilder" and cannot say which.
Who pays for planning? It should be them. If any cost falls to you, it is not an option or promotion agreement.
What happens if planning is refused? The right answer is that you keep the land and owe nothing.
Will you pay for my solicitor? Yes, to a stated cap. Or walk away.

Signs of a fishing letter

A deadline. A figure with no sum behind it. No company number. A request to sign anything before you have had independent advice. A reluctance to say who the buyer is.

If the letter was from us, what it means and how to check.

Straight answers

Why am I getting letters from developers about my land?

Because your land shows on public maps and registers as having development potential, usually because it touches a village. The owner's name and address are public at HM Land Registry.

Do I have to respond to a developer's letter?

No. Nothing happens if you do not. If you want them to stop, say so in writing and keep a copy; a reputable company records it.

How do I know if a developer's letter is genuine?

Check the company number at Companies House, ring the number on the letter and ask the four questions on this page. A genuine approach answers all four in writing.

Tell us about your land

Tell us the postcode. We do the rest at our cost and come back to you within ten days.