Lusby, MD asked in Real Estate Law for Maryland

Q: I jointly own my home with my husband. Do I have the legal right to stop him allowing other people to live in it?

We have an abusive 19 year old daughter who turns our stable home into a circus. She is currently unable to pay rent, and may ask to return home soon. She also has a boyfriend who she will insist come live with us. My husband is bizarrely permissive about this idea. I am set against it due to previous abusive behaviors, theft, drug use, arguments, disrespect, mental illness, unpredictability, and untrustworthiness. Aside that, the issue of the boyfriend being a total stranger (he has family and will not be homeless if he doesn't live with us). The stability and health of my home is at stake, and our marriage suffers greatly in our daughters presence. I need to understand my rights in order to refuse other persons to live in my jointly owned home.

If necessary, if I am forced to escape my home to avoid abuse in the future, how can I resolve my partial ownership in the house? Can I force the sale of the home, or use it's potential sale as leverage to control who lives in it?

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1 Lawyer Answer
Bennett James Wills
Bennett James Wills
Answered
  • Brentwood, TN
  • Licensed in Maryland

A: You have asked a question that is beyond the scope of an online forum. You do have rights as a rightful owner, but to analyze and answer you properly, you need to talk to a lawyer asap.

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