If you mow someone's lawn with or without consent, does that mean you can claim ownership?

Question

My neighbor will not mow his lawn, so my other neighbor and I have been. He is freaking out at us because he says "if you take care of someone elses property, then you can claim ownership" I just think he's wacked out and doesn't want other people to touch anything of his. Can u say MENTAL!!!!! Anyways I love proving him wrong so if anyone can help me I would appreciate it.

Answer 1

you get the lawn clippings

Answer 2

Adverse possession occurs when you take possession of someone elses property, without their consent over a long period of time.

However, it doesn't work if the true owner pays their own taxes on the land and occupies it.

Just mowing someone's lawn isn't going to rise to the level of ownership through adverse possession.

What the old coot is probably worried about is a lien for services of some kind. However, if you're doing it without his consent, he's crazy like a fox. He gets free lawn care, and you can't claim he owes you anything because you did it against his will.

Guess the grass is on you.

Answer 3

I would start by telling him you do not want to claim ownership. The tax burden would be too much for two properties. Then ask him if landscaping companies and mowing services would be able to claim all the land they take care of.

Finally tell him if he wants you to leave him alone, then he has to mow his own yard. Point out that you and your neighbor have been nice-you could have called the city to complain and have them mow it. The cost of the city doing the mowing is a good sized fine.

Answer 4

Your neighbor is mistaken. You cannot claim ownership of his property by mowing his lawn. However, if you mow your neighbor's lawn with his knowledge and he fails to stop you, you could conceivably claim that he owes you the fair market value of your labor. However, if you did that, then he would not permit you to mow it in the future, and you would have to look at it!
By the way, you don't live near me, do you? My lawn always needs mowing! LOL

Answer 5

We have a property dispute with most of our neighbors. We own a large amount of property and it borders 15 neighbors. Try that on for size. This particular neighbor had their property surveyed and to their surprise our survey was correct and they did NOT own what they believed they owned. My question is the very small sliver of property this neighbor owns that borders ours...does that give them the right to access our property to mow their lawn and permit them to trespass? We have asked many times that they stop doing so and they don't seem to listen. WE have also told them and their attorney if this continues we will contact the proper authorities. So can someone trespass on your property to mow theirs?

Answer 6

Tell him that according to a random schmoe that you met online that claims to be a lawyer (that would be me), what he's referring to is "adverse possession". One of the elements of Adverse Possession is "exclusivity", meaning that the person claiming it is the sole occupant of the property in question. That's pretty hard to do with someone's lawn, without pitching a tent.

Another one of the elements is that the occupation (which this isn't, but humor the old coot) has to be "non permissive". All he has to do to defeat your totally hypothetical claim is to say "I give you permission to mow MY lawn" and he's totally outfoxed you.

Answer 7

Hell yes!

I did that with my neighbor's yard, I don't think he's forgiven me yet.

On second thought, maybe he's upset because his wife moved in with me.

I heard he's been telling our other neighbors that he believes I'm "unbalanced"!

Answer 8

Was the person who had a 4th DUI and killed the girls in Virginia Beach an Illegal immigrant or an
undocumented worker? Do you think the girls would care?

Answer 9

woww,,,,ur not to smart , think about it, come cut my trees down and you own my property??,,,,,omg

Answer 10

no your neighbor is a DEEEE DE DEEEEEE