QUESTION: Dear Legal Wiz,
I seek your assistance in helping me to get rid of squatters on property belonging to me.
The occupants of the property are not tenants of ours. I do not know if they were given occupancy by other and are being charged rent but any such rent is not being paid to us (legal owners) nor are the person or persons who gave them occupancy our agents. They are squatters for all intents and purpose. We do not even know the names of the individuals who are there or the number of individuals there. We want you to do what is necessary to remove them from the property. The occupants did not acquire possession as legal tenants. We have never received a cent from any of them.
So can you help us to get rid of these squatters from our property? Do you need the occupants names and will there be a difficulty getting their names if you need the names.
Secondly,
We are in the process of negotiating the sale of the property. If the negotiation goes well it will be sold. If a sale does not materialize from the negotiations we certainly do not want the individuals or others to re-occupy the property.
What are some of the things that can be done to keep the individual squatters or others from re-occupying the property?
After you do your site visit please let me know whether you would be able to rent, oversee and manage the property until it is sold.
Marc Antwain
RESPONSE: Dear Marc Antwain,
The Jamaica Legal Leg Worker team can assist with all of the above. Here’s a further stage by stage of the way we will go:
A. STAGE ONE:
A1. site visit (with team security) with the power-of-attorney you send. If you do have the names of occupants, please submit.
NOTE: registration of power of attorney is neeeded to establish authority at all material times!
A1a. assessment of property status with contractor
A1b. address occupants, investigate, establish their status and intent
A2. submit report to you
A3. draft, serve notice to quit only as necessary
A4. follow up through courts as necessary
FEES: A1 – A4: APPLY!
B. STAGE TWO:
B1. Register
B2. Valuate/appraise with liscenced persons
B3. Discuss repairs if necessary
B4. Source and manage personnel for estimates,repairs etc
B5. Arrange for temporary tenant
B6. Property management and maintenance
NOTE: A bank account can be set up for you to deposit sums to your account. At all times you will have accounting
B7. Our team can also draft sale agreement and monitor sale on your behalf
FEES: B1 – B3: Apply
FEES: B4 – B4: Only as required by workmen to prepare estimate etc
FEES: B5 – B5: Finders fee
FEES: B6 – B6: Percentage to cover expenses
FEES: B7 – B7: to be discussed after assessment of work-to-be-done
C: STAGE THREE:
TO prevent re-entry of squatters, properly manage property with or without paid tenants or persons allowed to stay there for security purposes.
All the best!
Legal Wiz
