Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Maine

squaters rights

I have weird situation. For the past 6 years i have been living in a family owned home. The owner lives in texas. Her father was the owner before her. He has passed away in a surgery. Sence he has passed, the taxes on the property have not been paid. I went to the town and set up a payment agreement for the back taxes. Is their anyway i can fight for the house to be mine? Is their any right that i have to the property? i am currently paying the taxes through the payment arrangment. Is their any advise or anything i should now. I hate to just move, the house has been in the family for a number of years and is now my home.


Asked on 9/13/07, 9:04 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Jerome Gamache Ainsworth Thelin & Raftice, P.A.

Re: squaters rights

You do not have any "squater's rights" to wrest legal ownership from the true owner, as you are there under some sort of permission, even if you are not being charged actual rent. I assume that there is no reasonable prospect of negotiating a transfer form the owner to you. You might have the option of "buying" the property from the town if the back taxes were so old that the tax lien was foreclosed and the town can sell you their right to the property. However, that is a complicated situation and you would need to consult formally with counsel to evaluate.

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Answered on 9/13/07, 9:19 am


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