Legal Question in Elder Law in Massachusetts

Life estate

Years ago my in-laws sold their house to my wife and I. It's a duplex, they live in their half and we live in ours. At the time we signed a simple hand written document giving them life estate. If they should move out of their own volition or if they should need to go into a nursing home. can they rent out their half of the house against my wishes. They have not paid any rent nor have they been responsible for any taxes, only their utilities.


Asked on 7/05/09, 7:26 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Alexandra Golden Golden Law Center

Re: Life estate

A life estate is generally done by deed -- without seeing the document, it's impossible to comment about its validity as a life estate or whether you have some other arrangement which might be governed by landlord-tenant law. You need to take the document you have to a good real estate attorney for review.

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Answered on 7/05/09, 7:51 pm


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