I'm sure you have heard about it, it's been all over the news. This guy was remodeling a woman's house and he found some really old $$$--today's equivilent of half a mil. He says finder's keepers but she says it's hers and she will give him 10%.
I don't understand how he has any legal grounds to keep the money if it's on her property. Any legal eagles on here to explain?
2007-12-13 11:46:51 · 10 answers · asked by GamerMom 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
Well I don't know the specifics, But in real estate law, a person who owns a home and land, owns the land all the way down to the center of the earth and up above until space. (Mineral rights and air rights) So anything found on her property is hers. He should have no right to it and the fact he is being shady, If I was her, I would give him nothing for trying to rip her off.
2007-12-13 12:13:27 · answer #1 · answered by amber s 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The law is specific, when it comes to property rights. The fact you are a contractor working on a property at the behest of the owner, affords you as the contractor, absolutely no rights to any and all of anything on the property in question.. The fact the owner is willing to give a 10% finders fee, is more than generous,beings that everything with respect to her property is hers.. To follow the contractors logic, If a contractor was called in to dig a new septic tank ,and struck oil, the contractor would own the oil discovery.FINDERS KEEPERS!! It has been argured in civil actions thru the courts, of a property that was sold to a new owner, and a year later in the attic of the home was discovered a treasure trove of old coins and jewelry valued in the thousands of dollars.. The home was the home of grand parents of the grand children who inherited the home by will and final estate. Upon hearing of the discovery ,in their former grandparents home by the new owners took legal action to recover the find, through the courts... The courts ruled ,when the home was sold, any and all contents left in the house are considerd 'ABANDONED' and thus the new property owners to keep,sell, or otherwise dispose of same! The ruling was contested and appealed , and the prior ruling stood and was upheld.. If this contractor is smart, he'll take the 10% and feel fortunate to have received that!! If he goes to court, the owner will counter sue for all legal expenses and the 10% will be withdrawn!! The contractor will never be successful, and could be at risk for a costly expense with no return..$50,000.00 is quite a nice finders fee!! SOLOMON
2007-12-13 12:17:02 · answer #2 · answered by solomon 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As I understand his argument, the state has a law that if you find money, and the legal owner can't be found, you can keep the money. The homeowner would argue that when she bought the house, the money was part of the what she bought. This would make her the legal owner of the money and the 'finders keepers' law would not apply. I think you and I both prefer the later interpretation. I am not an attorney and have been known to disagree with what the law actually states.
2007-12-13 12:13:21 · answer #3 · answered by STEVEN F 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
call any contractor and ask him - he can prepare something he's gotten smaller for and then supply up. Or - you could act as your individual contractor - and you subcontract - first to the excavator - then to the concrete guy - then to the framing contractor. And in this way you get the homestead up and framed in and probably finished on the exterior and then do something. of direction once you're on a financial company loan, they in all probability won't allow you to try this.
2016-11-03 04:47:30 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Court rulings in Ohio establish that a "finders keepers" law applies if there's no reason to believe any owner will reappear to claim it.
The "owner" of the money could technically be thought of as the previous resident (who is now dead, and won't be returning to claim it).
2007-12-13 11:56:42 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
He has no legal rights. It was her property, and she decides what happens to anything on her property that is hers (which the money is legally). The contractor has no chance in court.
2007-12-13 11:50:35 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Homeowner. Whatever is on his or her property is legally her's. Besides, why would the contractor feel that he is entitled to it? He doesn't live there and he doesn't have any ownership.
2007-12-13 11:57:05 · answer #7 · answered by sugarbear 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
He doesn't have legal grounds to keep it. It is on her property. She owns it. If she gives him 10%, that is very nice of her. She doesn't have to give him a penny.
2007-12-13 11:57:39 · answer #8 · answered by sarlha 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I dont think he should get all of it, he was working at someone elses property. I do think though that he should get some of it. I bet he wouldnt have felt the same way if it had been termites or a skeleton.
2007-12-14 00:15:35 · answer #9 · answered by nikogal2006 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He has no grounds, whatsoever! It was in her house, which she owns, thus she owns it also. By his reasoning, if he looked in the refrigerator and found a steak, should he be able to keep that, also?!Or, if the lady looked in his truck and found some tools, shouldn't she be able to keep them?!!
2007-12-13 12:01:39 · answer #10 · answered by Gellarguy 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋