Do I have rights against our township who own the property behind us and do not maintain it and it looks terrible?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Do I have rights against our township who own the property behind us and do not maintain it and it looks terrible?
The township owns the property behind us which is wooded and gradually drops down to a creek. They purchased it from a previous owner who tried to fill it in to build but never could. It now has piles of cinder blocks, wood chips, and fallen over dead trees. I’ve contact the township but they never get back to me as to cleaning it up. We are tired of looking at the mess along with overgrown weeds which come up to our property and the whole thing looks terrible. We pay our taxes early and keep our property nice. They won’t seem to do anything. What are my rights?
Asked on May 28, 2009 under Real Estate Law, Pennsylvania
Answers:
B. B., Member, New Jersey Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 14 years ago | Contributor
This is a sad state of affairs, but I'm afraid it's not likely that there's much you can do about this. In most states, this isn't bad enough to satisfy the legal definition of a "nuisance," which is something that has a more serious effect on your property or your health and safety. Also, most states' courts are less likely to force local government to take action about its land than would be the case for private owners.
I'm not a Pennsylvania attorney. For reliable advice about your rights in this situation, based on all of the facts and your state's laws, you should talk to a lawyer in your area. One place to look for qualified counsel is our website, http://attorneypages.com
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.