No. Changing the locks on a property you co-own without your co-owner’s permission is most likely an ouster under California law that exposes you to damages, and is the wrong long term solution to resolve a co-ownership dispute. A partition action is the proper legal route to end the co-ownership, recover what you are owed, … Read More
A co-owner can technically rent a jointly owned property on an Airbnb or another short-term rental platform without the other co-owner’s permission. However, in a partition action, the court can force the renting co-owner to account for the income, pay for any exclusive use, and ultimately end the co-ownership. California treats co-owners as having an … Read More
When one co-owner wants to live in a property and the other does not, a partition action is the ultimate legal solution to resolve disputes over possession, expenses, and fairness. In California, uncooperative co-owners generally have equal rights to occupy the entire property, but that doesn’t mean one can live there without consequences. Equal Right … Read More
One of the most common reasons a co-owner refuses to cooperate with a sale is simple: they are already getting what they want. If your co-owner is living in the property, they may have little incentive to sell or buy you out. In fact, they may actively delay, obstruct, or ignore your requests in hopes … Read More
When you own real estate with another person, disagreements about improvements are common, especially when one co-owner wants to upgrade the property and the other refuses to pay or participate. California co-ownership laws give each owner rights to use and possess the property, but those same laws create complexity about what occurs when one co-owner … Read More
Co-ownership of property often involves a delicate balance of rights and responsibilities among the owners. However, this equilibrium can be disrupted when one co-owner oversteps their bounds, leading to a situation termed “ouster.” An ouster occurs when one co-owner unlawfully excludes another from the property, effectively seizing sole benefits of ownership while circumventing its associated … Read More
Co-owners who disagree about how to use co-owned property often find themselves in toxic co-ownership relationships. Ending the co-ownership relationship via a partition action, or the forced sale of jointly owned property, can benefit all co-owners in the long run. However, while the property remains co-owned, it’s not uncommon for issues to arise regarding who … Read More
A notice of ouster is a demand to the co-owner in possession for concurrent possession of the property issued by a tenant out of possession. The law requires that “[t]he written demand shall make specific reference to this section [Civil Code § 843] and to the time within which concurrent possession must be offered under … Read More
California Civil Code 843 is the California partition statute that addresses concurrent ownership, ouster, and damages related thereto in a partition action. The statute provides that: (a) If real property is owned concurrently by two or more persons, a tenant out of possession may establish an ouster from possession by a tenant in possession in … Read More
Access Rights to Jointly Owned Property A common issue with co-ownership is whether the co-owners can allow third parties to move into the property as roommates. For example, perhaps your co-owner decides to rent out an extra room. Or perhaps they allow their boyfriend or girlfriend to move in. Or maybe they allow an unwanted family member … Read More
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