Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in New Jersey
my sister-in-law, in Virginia, allowed a woman to move into her home to help pay bills for an agreed upon rent. After 4 months the woman has not paid a dime, has moved her granddaughter and son-in-law in with her (they sleep on the floor and couch), and "uses" my sister-in-laws food, clothes and personal items for themselves. My sister-in-law never had a signed agreement that the woman would pay. she has asked the woman and her family to leave, to no avail. She feels powerless, has few friends and no family in the area, won't take advise from her brother - my husband, and continues to run into more debt and could lose her house as she has no income and her bills skyrocket from increased use of utilities, etc. This woman has SS. She gives her son-in-law money and buys many things for her young granddaughter. Christmas had many gifts under the tree but nothing for the one paying for her free living. She says she has no where else to go. No family member will take her in. My sister-in-law used to worry about putting her out in the cold with no where to go, but has moved past that concern now that she realizes for how much she is being taken advantage. Can she have the police come to her house and physically remove her and her family? Can we go there and put all their things on the front lawn (we live in NJ)? Does she have to file some kind of court claim to have them removed? Is there any way she can get any payment from this woman using the court system, considering she never had any kind of written contract with her ?
1 Answer from Attorneys
This is a matter of Virginia law and should be asked of a Virginia lawyer.
See also: http://info.corbettlaw.net/lawguru.htm