My grandma owns a duplex in Washington, my cousins live downstairs. She wants them to move out but they say they are invoking thier rights to live there. What is the best course of action to get them out? Do they have rights if they give them 60 days to move out?
2007-08-08 09:17:17 · 5 answers · asked by Brooke 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
As others have pointed here, squatter's rights don't pertain to this situation. And unless they have ever paid rent to your grandma at some point in the past, they have no rights as tenants under the housing laws either. They're basically houseguests who are refusing to leave - and are therefore considered nothing more than trespassers. She could legally just move their belongings out into the yard and change the locks on them, but it might be better to contact the local sheriff to put them out for her.
2007-08-08 14:45:54 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Squatting is where someone occupies a property which is vacant or abandoned without the owner's knowledge or permission, and without any legal right to do so - squatters are trespassers. Squatting trespass can also occur when permission is given to access for one purpose, but then it is used for something else - i.e. living occupation.
She needs to go through the legal eviction process to get them off her property, and THEN she needs to change all the locks and get a restraining order to keep them away.
2007-08-08 16:35:54 · answer #2 · answered by Ryan's mom 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Squatters' rights only apply to vacant, abandoned housing units.
For information on eviction of tenants in DC:
http://www.rentlaw.com/eviction/dceviction.htm
They may have gone to that rally for the homeless in June and gotten the idea they could use that info, but they can't unless your grandma's duplex was vacant or abandoned.
2007-08-08 16:29:19 · answer #3 · answered by RE 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would say send them notice via certified mail and give them 60 days to vacate the premises. If they do not vacate I would call the Sheriff and have them politely escourted off of the property and then have a restraining order issued.
2007-08-08 16:23:31 · answer #4 · answered by fire_side_2003 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The best way to get rid of them is to go thru the legal eviction process. It gets it all in writing and has the full force of the law behind it.
If she knows of any illegal activity there, she could always call the cops. They could sit in jail while the eviction process goes through.
2007-08-08 16:27:07 · answer #5 · answered by scooter 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋