How can I find out if I have squatter’s rights to some property?
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How can I find out if I have squatter’s rights to some property?
I have been taking care of the property that boarders mine about an acre because a creek runs though it and it was overgrown the first year I was there. Since then 6 years I have been taking care of it – mowing, cutting up downed limbs, etc. There is also a small barn that I have been repairing so it doesn’t look as a banded. Do I have any legal squatter’s rights to claim the land?
Asked on September 3, 2015 under Real Estate Law, Oklahoma
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 8 years ago | Contributor
In your state, after 15 years--not six--IF you have been occupying the land and have been doing so in a way that is or could be obvious to the legal owner i.e. the legal owner could tell that someone is occupying it, if the legal owner visits his/her land and looks, then you may be able to claim the land under the doctrine of "adverse possession." However, six years of use, occupancy, or care does not give you any rights.
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