Potentially complicated litigation faces two co-property owners this month in a Jefferson County courtroom. The conflict not only brings up breach of contract issues but involves accusations of unpaid rent as well — both serious real estate matters that require legal help in order to sort out. It’s a situation some of our readers may be able to relate to but hope to never find themselves in down the road.
The complication in this particular case stems from a dispute between the two property owners about paying upkeep on the property and how profits should be distributed. According the female plaintiff, she and a male resident owned several properties jointly under Texas real estate law. But as she explains in her complaint, her co-owner disappeared several years ago, leaving her to bear the entire cost of upkeep on the properties.
Recently though the co-owner returned and is now “demanding his share of the profits from the rental properties.” This has created its own complications because the female owner filed a prior partition suit against the male owner from which she says she has not received compensation. She also claims in court that the male owner has lived in one of their properties since August 2011 and has not paid rent for that time either.
Real estate disputes such as this can be tricky situations and often require extensive help from attorneys before a resolution can be met. While your own property dispute may not involve complexities such as this, it’s important to remember that you can seek legal representation so as to ensure you’re getting the fairest outcome in your own dispute.
Source:The Southeast Texas Record, “Dispute over shared property leads to lawsuit,” Matt Russell, Oct. 8, 2013
