Sold the house

Squatters and renters are two different things. I have heard that if a squatter takes over a building and pays the bills on it (ie taxes, utilities, etc.) for so many years then they may have rights to it. There are similar laws here in Canada for that matter.

Renters on the other hand have an agreement to pay for a place for a fixed term even if it is just month to month......I don't believe they would have any squatting rights.

But somehow it must also apply to renters or something similiar. That's why it's so important to have a rental contract. It protects the owner from loss. Outside the Chapala area we always needed a co signer with a deed to rent. Maybe because the renters could say it was abandoned and show receipts of upkeep?

One land owner, here locally, paid a crooked lawyer to pay his taxes before retirement. The lawyer sold the property to a Mexican who built a house on his land. Now the property must be sold and split between the two. It still isn't settled to this day.

Also have Mexican friends who rent but after so many years said they could keep the house because there is no contract. Not sure what ever happened with that house. I know it had to do with squaters rights. They rent initially, then squat.

I don't have info on the law, but I will email or call my friend who told me this story and ask her for more information. It did have to do with some kind of squatters law in Mexico. She said there is a law that allows Mexicans who "squat" on a piece of land to own it if they show they have "improved" the land, which can be a cardboard shack they build to live in. I will contact her and see what I can find out. Maybe she didn't have a contract, or maybe she allowed the renter to pay utility bills in her own name, I don't know. I know there are protections that a landlord must take in Mexico in order to maintain ownership of a rented property. Will get back to you after I speak to my friend.

The link that gringal gave starts out with this statement:
Mexico landlord & tenant law is PRO-TENANT.
Mexican law favors the tenant and it is difficult for the landlord to evict the
tenant upon the termination of the contract. It goes on to say it can be difficult to evict a tenant after the expiration of the lease, and something about people staying indefinitely after a lease expires.

Well, I don't know a thing about all this...just told you what my friend said. Will contact her for more info.

Congratulations on your sale, C-Bob!
That year to prepare will probably turn out to be a good thing in the end.
You all will be so on top of it that you'll be able to slip right into your berth when the time comes... no fuss, no muss, no bother. Lizzy

Thanks Lizzy. Hopefully we have everything covered however I'm sure there will be a few surprises.....jaja.

Keeps the interest up, eh? L

I'm all ears...And a new saga begins as the world turn's, while all your children while away the hours in PARIDISE