Contacting landowners directly is one of the oldest off-market land sourcing tactics around. And it still works - just not as well as many people hope.
Response rates are typically low, inboxes are crowded, and many landowners have received dozens of near identical letters over the years. That makes credibility, relevance, and timing far more important than volume.
In this guide, we’ll show you:
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How to approach landowners about off-market land
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What a letter to an owner should actually look like
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Why site and ownership research materially improves response rates
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How to follow up without becoming a nuisance
We’ll also share a ready to use UK sample letter template you can adapt and reuse as part of a repeatable land sourcing process.
Key insights
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Sending letters to landowners still works, but generic outreach delivers poor response rates.
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Addressing the right person by name and referencing the correct site dramatically improves credibility.
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Letters that focus on opening a conversation, not pushing a deal, perform best.
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Site research and ownership data are critical for standing out from mass mailouts.
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Consistent, well timed follow ups increase responses without damaging relationships.
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How to Approach Landowners Directly About Off-Market Land
Writing the letter is only one part of the process. The strongest response rates come from a structured approach that combines research, targeting, and follow up.
Below are the six steps that matter most.
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1) Assess the Site Fully
Before you contact anyone, you should understand the site properly.
That includes:
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Planning designations and constraints
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Policy context
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Nearby development activity
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Access, services and environmental considerations
This step ensures you are not approaching owners speculatively or making claims you cannot support later. It also gives you specific, credible detail to reference in your letter.
In fact, it's possible to find a site in as little as two minutes. Here's how:
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2) Find the right person
Who you address the letter to matters more than most people realise.
Letters addressed to “The Landowner” or “Sir or Madam” signal low effort and are far less likely to be opened, let alone answered. Where possible, you should identify and address the named legal owner.
Using accurate ownership information not only improves response rates, it also avoids awkward situations where letters are sent to the wrong party.
Personalisation matters. If people see something addressed to them, they’re less likely to think it’s junk mail, and more likely to read and consider it.
How LandInsight can help
By giving you instant access to the ultimate owner, you can quickly learn who to address your letters to - often without even needing to pay for Land Registry documents (saving you £3 a time).
And if you do decide to buy those documents, you can do so through LandInsight in just a click, and at cost.
In fact, you can even see what other sites the owner might have, and look to see if the deal could become even bigger...
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3) Contact people in the best way
Letters remain effective for first contact because they feel deliberate and personal. For some owners, email can work well as a follow up once contact is established.
What matters most is that:
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The approach feels intentional
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The message is easy to understand
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The tone is professional, not salesy
Stock phrases and aggressive calls to action tend to do more harm than good. And try to avoid using AI to write your letter, if possible; many people can now tell the difference between something that has been written by AI, and something that is authentic and genuine.
How LandInsight can help:
You can further boost that scalability with LandInsight’s ownership export.
Instantly download a spreadsheet of all the contact details for your chosen sites, then use that information to make sending the letters a doddle.
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4) Offer just enough to get them interested
One common mistake in approach letters - giving everything away.
The key thing to remember is that the letter isn’t designed to sell them on the project; it’s designed to get them onto a call or into a room for you to sell them on the project.
You want to convey that the site has potential, but it isn’t perfect - and that it’ll take your skill to unlock that value.
Don’t show your hand too soon - leave them curious, and wanting more. And, if you can, put the fear of loss into them with an external deadline.
How LandInsight can help:
One effective way is to use LandInsight’s data to show that you know their area better than they do (without outright saying it).
For instance, you might use the planning application data to say something like:
“I’m sure you know that your local authority is cracking down on big housing projects, with two projects within five miles of your site being turned down in the last 18 months.
However, the authority is coming to the end of their five-year housing strategy, and are increasingly likely to say yes - but we have to act fast before the deadline passes (or too many other projects get in first).
“I’d love to explain it all in more detail and show you what I’m thinking - and how much money you stand to make from it.
“When would be a good time to talk?”
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5) Quality over quantity
Letter sending is a numbers game. You can’t send one and wait around for a response that might never come.
But more isn’t always better. Instead, aim to send the right letters, in the right way.
Personalisation is about far more than just a name at the top. Make a letter look and feel genuinely just for them, and they’ll be more inclined to give it the time it deserves.
This is especially true if you’re sending letters to neighbours as there’s every chance they might talk. That’s not necessarily a bad thing (it adds more competition/sense of a deadline if you only want one of their sites).
But if their letters are carbon copies of each other? It just looks like you’re fishing.
How LandInsight can help:
You can use LandInsight to include an image of their site within the letter itself.
Better yet, you can draw on the map using the collection of tools, letting you plot out a rough idea of what might be possible (although remembering not to give too much away).
Or, better still, download a full site report and sprinkle the available information throughout the letter to show that you’ve properly considered their site (and know what you’re talking about).
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6) Follow up regularly (but don’t overdo it)
Most responses arrive after a follow up, not the first letter.
A simple structure works well:
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Initial letter
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Follow up after 2-3 weeks
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Final nudge after a further 3-4 weeks
How LandInsight can help:
LandInsight’s Sites Pipeline helps track outreach status and follow ups without losing momentum. Custom stages such as “Letter sent”, “Follow up sent”, and “Response received” keep the process organised without becoming over engineered.
Plus, it’s easy to search by site name or postcode, so when you get a call back from a potential seller, you can pull up all the data you need in seconds, and add notes from the call straight onto that site for you and your team to see.
Sample Letter to Landowner to Buy Land
[Landowner name]
[Address]Dear [Landowner name],
I am writing regarding land at [site address or clear location reference], which I understand you own.
I work with [company name], where we specialise in identifying and delivering development opportunities in [area or sector]. We are currently reviewing sites in the local area and your land stood out as one we would like to explore further.
This letter is simply to ask whether you would be open to an initial, no obligation conversation about the land and its future potential. We appreciate that this may not be the right time, but wanted to make contact directly rather than through intermediaries.
If you are open to a discussion, I would be very happy to speak at a time that suits you.
Kind regards,
[Name]
[Role]
[Company]
[Contact details]
Letter structure
Each part of the letter is deliberate:
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Clear identification of the land removes ambiguity
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Brief credibility statement explains who you are without overselling
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Soft ask reduces pressure and defensiveness
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Open ending encourages response rather than decision
The tone is respectful, direct, and easy to respond to.
Where site research and ownership data add credibility
Credibility is established before you ask anything. In the sample letter this comes from:
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Correctly naming the landowner
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Accurately identifying the site
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Referencing local context or activity where appropriate
This reassures the recipient that the letter is informed and intentional, not part of a scattergun campaign.
Timing and personalisation at scale
The most effective letters balance consistency and personalisation.
Typically:
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The structure stays the same
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The site reference, owner name and local context are personalised
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Letters are sent mid week rather than weekends
This allows the same template to be reused across multiple sites without losing authenticity.
FAQ
How do I write a letter to a landowner?
Start with clear identification of the land and the owner, explain who you are and why you are getting in touch, and keep the ask low pressure. The goal is to open a conversation, not agree terms.
How do you personalise landowner letters?
Personalisation comes from accurate ownership information, referencing the correct site, and acknowledging local context. Avoid generic language and ensure the letter is clearly intended for that specific recipient.
How often should you follow up after sending a landowner letter?
A good rule of thumb is to follow up after two to three weeks, with a final follow up a few weeks later. Most responses arrive after a follow up rather than the first letter.
Is sending letters to landowners still effective for off-market land sourcing?
Yes, but only when done well. Generic mass mailouts perform poorly. Targeted, researched, and respectful letters remain an effective way to initiate off-market conversations.
When It Comes to Letters, Automation Can Help - But Personalisation Is King
There are plenty of ways to speed up the letter sending process - things like mail merge, or even hiring external agencies to handle it for you. Automation can support scale, but it should never replace research and a personal touch.
A ‘spray and pray’ approach can work, but a tailored letter for each site is often far more effective.
After all, you’re doing the work of evaluating a site before getting in touch, so why not put that research and expertise to use to really help you stand out from the competition?
LandTech is not about writing letters faster. It is about finding better sites, understanding ownership, and approaching landowners with confidence.
Show you know more. Engage the owner. Establish your credibility.
By combining site intelligence, ownership data, and pipeline tracking, LandInsight helps developers target the right opportunities and manage outreach as part of a joined up land sourcing process.
Ready to see how else it can help your site-sourcing results?
