Hello,

In many regions of the world, property encroachment is covered under adverse possession laws. Under these laws, if someone openly uses and improves land and pays property taxes, he or she can take possession of it after a certain period of time. For example, a neighbor might use part of someone else's lot as a driveway, constituting open use and improvement if he or she paves or gravels the drive. After several years, they can file for the deed to the land, arguing that they took possession openly and no one complained, and they paid property taxes and upgraded the land. People may also be entitled to a permanent easement, even if they cannot take possession of the land, and this can cause a decline in the value of the property. As a general rule, people do not want to lose parts of their property due to adverse possession. For this reason, it is important to take action on suspected cases of property encroachment, to work out a deal which satisfies everyone. It is also important to have property surveyed when it is purchased so that any areas of encroachment can be identified and addressed.

Thanks,

krisztina neglia

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