Neighbors stuff is on my property
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Neighbors stuff is on my property
I bought a house 2 years ago. A survey was done and my property line is 20-25 feet into my neighbors ‘property’. They have sheds and a fence line. They told me it’s been that way for over 10 years. What are my options?
Asked on May 14, 2018 under Real Estate Law, Michigan
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 6 years ago | Contributor
You may be able to force them to move their shed and fence: as a general matter, a neighbor has no right to infringe on your property or put structures on it, and they can be compelled to remove any trespassing items. To do this, you would have to go to court and get a court order confirming the boundaries and ordering the removal.
Note that if you allow someone to "take" and occupy some of your property for long enough, they can end up owning it under the doctrine of "adverse possession." It requires 15 years (as well as meetng certain other criteria) in your state, so you are still in time to do something about this; however, if you ignore the issue long enough (for a few more years), you may let them get some of your land. You should meet with a real estate attorney to discuss the situation and, if your neighbor will voluntarily relocate these things, bring the appropriate legal action to make sure you do not lose any of your land.
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