Land owner destroying personal property, threatening manner input please (real estate, rental)

[T04241962]

So a friend who'd lived at his uh aunt's property for 10years+ allowed us to move our 5th wheel on property where I have lived for last 2years, uncle found out we were there and was ok with it. After he and his wife split he wants to move his own trailer over and finalize his divorce but wants us to move asap. Currently with this coronavirus pandemic going on and me on SSI I haven't got the funds to move my trailer. Now I was receiving mail at this address and uncle came hooked up to mailbox and yarded it on down the road. He welded metal plate over the well so we couldn't pump anymore water, he pulled my vehicle out of the driveway put on gravel logging road and the. Locked the gate and fell some trees in the driveway preventing any further entree . Also brought excavator and demolished my carport that I framed in with wood and pallets and tarps which I was using to store misc items and a large collection of vinyl records which I had been selling online from time to time. He has not came with no legal papers for eviction or notification of any type.
Can he legally continue to harass threaten intimidate and destroy whatever he wants? Thanks for any inputs

[Ruth4Truth]

Let me guess; you didn't sign any lease or rental document relating to your occupancy and use of the property, yet now you want him to be restrained from evicting you, on legal grounds? Did I get that right?

It sounds like you were on the property at his discretion (that's the "uncle found out we were there and was ok with it" part of your story). His discretionary choice to allow you to stay has now ended. This is why people sign leases; at least the LL is then required to follow legal procedures, giving notice as required by law, then to pursue lengthy eviction procedures. It sounds like you, however, are basically a squatter. As such, you have no rights. Zip. Nada. According to the law, you are trespassing. He has the right to bulldoze you out of there, along with all your junk, broken-down vehicles, or whatever is involved.

It's too bad it's come to this, OP, but you need to rustle up some help with moving your stuff, and finding a place to move to. Perhaps there's a charitable organization in the area that could help, if your friends can't. Are you a veteran? If so, you could try appealing to a vet network.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Move.

[T04241962]

Thanks for responding.
No squatters rights then I'm guessing

[hawk55732]

From my understanding, and this will vary from state to state, he is your landlord now. Lease or no lease he has to follow proper eviction procedures. Destroying private property in that manner that he did would be illegal. Call the police.

[PartIrish]

In Washington State you need at least 7 years of continuous possession on a piece of property to make a claim of adverse possession (what you call squatter's rights). In the absence of a written lease, the property owner is within his rights to remove any structures placed on his property, including the temporary carport you erected. This also means you should get your trailer off his property ASAP as you are currently trespassing. Your friend gave you permission to move your trailer on the property, but that permission was not his to give--the property belongs to your friend's uncle.

It sounds like he really, really doesn't want you there, and why would you want to be on someone's property who wants you gone? You had an easy couple of years there rent free, but the party is over and it's time to move.

[T04241962]

Originally Posted by PartIrish

In Washington State you need at least 7 years of continuous possession on a piece of property to make a claim of adverse possession (what you call squatter's rights). In the absence of a written lease, the property owner is within his rights to remove any structures placed on his property, including the temporary carport you erected. This also means you should get your trailer off his property ASAP as you are currently trespassing. Your friend gave you permission to move your trailer on the property, but that permission was not his to give--the property belongs to your friend's uncle.

It sounds like he really, really doesn't want you there, and why would you want to be on someone's property who wants you gone? You had an easy couple of years there rent free, but the party is over and it's time to move.

Wasn't trying to do the adverse possession by no means. Does it matter that it's actually in his aunts name and not uncles or that his uncle knew about us being there and said it was fine or that we were paying my friend whenever we could total about 200 a month . Also there is no power and after he capped the well off there was no water.

[hawk55732]

Best bet is to contact a lawyer.

[elkotronics]

Move and contact a real estate lawyer if you want to see what you could try and charge the owner with (if you want to pay for your lawyer's fee). Or, just move and be done with everything as soon as possible and skip the lawyer part altogether.

Or, see if you can get your case heard in The People's Court.

[PartIrish]

Originally Posted by T04241962

Wasn't trying to do the adverse possession by no means. Does it matter that it's actually in his aunts name and not uncles or that his uncle knew about us being there and said it was fine or that we were paying my friend whenever we could total about 200 a month . Also there is no power and after he capped the well off there was no water.

These facts were not in your original post, and may or may not be pertinent, depending on the records of payments made and received as rent. Do you have canceled checks or money orders as evidence of payment? Receipts from the property owner for rent paid? However, if you do not have an agreement in writing with the property owner, at best this sounds like a "tenancy at will" agreement, which can be terminated at any time by landlord or tenant. If you want to protect your rights in future situations, make sure that you have a written lease and make regular rent payments. Anything less leaves you at the mercy of the property owner.

You can try reaching out to this group, although in the absence of a written lease I suspect they will not be able to intercede on your behalf:

https://tenantsunion.org/programs/te...rights-hotline