Spokane, WA asked in Intellectual Property, Land Use & Zoning and Real Estate Law for Idaho

Q: My dad built a house on someone's else's property he passed, do I have any rights to it,

1 Lawyer Answer
James L. Arrasmith
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Answered

A: When your dad built a house on someone else’s property, it complicates matters legally. The key issue here is that the land belongs to someone else, and ownership of a house generally follows ownership of the land it’s built on. Unless there is a specific agreement or legal documentation that gives your family rights to the property, you might not automatically have rights to the house.

However, you may be able to explore legal avenues like determining if your father had a formal or informal arrangement with the landowner, such as a lease or contract. Depending on local laws, you might also have a claim if significant improvements were made, though this would typically require legal action to establish.

It’s important to act quickly, as there could be deadlines or statutes of limitations.

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