Q: Am I legally allowed to change locks and post no trespassing signs on a home I own but currently do not live in?
My grandma's boyfriend signed his home over to me July 2021. My grandma passed away November 2021. Her boyfriends kids got guardianship of him in September of this year and issued a no contact order to me due to having a felony charge 11 years ago so instead of him going to a nursing home I volunteered to leave the home. Unfortunately they weren't taking care of him properly so he ultimately ended up in a nursing home last week...I have not been at the house since September but can I go change locks and clean out the home since he is no longer living there?
A: You own the house and there is no one living there. However, best practice would be to pursue and eviction action before removing belongings and changing the locks.
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