Squatters rights

HelenT2

Hi every
Does anyone have any information as regards Squatters Rights?
I am living in a property that is owned in a Trust by my two brothers.One of my brothers sexually abused me when I was growing up.I would dearly like to make a clean break from these two family members and I was thinking about claiming Squatters Rights as I have lived in the property for 19 years and paid all the maintenance and up keep on it.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Also would I qualify for legal aid on this?
Helen

phillycollings29

Hi @HelenT2
I have just been reading your post and it was a while ago.  How are things? 

newborn

This is not legal advice.  Squatters rights are not normally  relevant any more.,  but in any case you appear to have legal status in the property.  Legal àid depends on your resources, and isn't available  for all types of advice.  Your question is complicated, pàrticulàrly by the fact it is a family trust, so the trust terms would be relevant.  You dont  mention if you live rènt free.  The Shelter site is unlikely  to have the ànswer.

The historic abuse is ànother complicating fàctor. You don't say if this matter is recorded, as with a prosecution.  Does occupying the house involve you in unavoidable contact with the abusing brother?  (Don't answer these questions directly, it is merely to ask you to think these things through for yourself.)  It is understandable  you would want to have no contact, but hard to see how it would be fed into a case on property law.   (Especially as there might seem to be a solution in requesting that any essential 'landlord ' visit could be carried out by the other, non-offènding,  brother)


What would you ideally wish? If you waved a wand, would you hàve the deeds transferred to your nàme?  (Don't answer online, just ask yourself)There seems to be a reason you were not nàmed jointly as three owners for the purposes of the family trust. Perhaps  you were named as beneficiary  occupant and provided with a home, with the brothers charged with a duty to care for you, and / or the house, because  you were too young or too frail, physically  or mentally, and if so, has the reason ended?  (Don't answer online, just think about what the situation is)  Again, I stress, this is not legal advice.