Q: How can a person take possession of a home if owners have passed and property taxes are delinquent?
My parent is living in a house, in Florida, and found out that the owners of the property have passed. He began receiving notification that property taxes have not been paid since 2012. He paid the overdue taxes and continue to pay the property taxes and maintain the house as if it is his property. Is there a way, legally, a person can take possession of the house? Basically, own the property that he is maintaining. No one has contacted him concerning ownership of the property.
A: Your father is already in possession of the property. How did that happen? Is he renting the property? Does he have a lease? If the owners have died, it is likely that their personal representative(s) are unaware that their estates own the property. Contact the court in their last known location and ask if a will has been recorded or a probate case filed. If so, then contact the person named as personal representative in such a will, or probate case.
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