Q: Without my consent or knowledge someone built a complete house on my property in Belfast, MA. Who owns it now ?
Purchased 10 acres of land 17 years ago for a future retirement home I plan to build in 4 years. I live in PA currently. I've been paying taxes on the land for 17 years. Someone built an entire home on my property just feet from the property line.
Once the builder and hopeful homeowner found out their mistake the homeowners mortgage application was rejected. The hopeful homeowners do not own the house yet and do not own the land it sits on, but decided to move in anyway. Who owns the completed house now in the eyes of Maine law ?
A: The folks who built the home own the home, but they are trespassing on your property, so you would have the ability to bring a lawsuit seeking to compel them to move the home off your property and restore your property to the condition it was in prior to them building the home. Another possible option you would have would be to sell these folks part of your property, sufficient to make their home a legal dwelling where it sits.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
