Note: The DearEsq free 'ask a lawyer' site is offered as a free informational service to the public and is not intended as legal advice. Laws vary from state-to-state, and in addition every situation is unique, and relevant facts may not be known. The answer to the question posed below may not apply to in your state or to your situation. For legal advice in your state and your situation you should consult with an attorney in your state who is familiar with the rules and laws in your state.
My father-in-law moved me, my husband, and our kids from Arkansas to Tennessee. He bought us a trailer house and put it on his property. He verbally told us that the trailer house was a gift. We have been living here now for a little over five years. Now he is wanting to charge us rent. Can he legally do that?
Yes. Even if you could prove that you own the house (which could be difficult, given that it was all verbal), you don’t own the land it’s sitting on, and he can certainly charge you rent for that.
