Inheriting a house between several siblings On many occasions it becomes a focus of conflict, especially when it is installed without paying the rest what they owe. And this is what has happened to a French family, who after inheriting the family home between 7 siblings, one of them lent the keys to another who settled there and has been living there for 10 years without paying anything to the rest and refusing to abandon the property or allow its sale.
After the death of their parents, the seven brothers inherited a family house then valued at 110,000 euros, all becoming co-owners. However, from the beginning there were disagreements about what to do with the housing. Some wanted to keep it for its sentimental value, while others preferred to sell it (something that may be mandatory in Spain in certain cases), although they did not agree on the price either.
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Due to the lack of consensus, the inheritance was paralyzed and the house remained empty for a time. It was then that one of the brothers asked one of his sisters for the keys with the intention, supposedly, of taking care of the property. “Today, this man is 67 years old and has been living in the house for ten years,” explains notary Élise Mabille, in the middle Figaro Real Estate.
Ten years of living for free and an increasingly deteriorated house
According to the notary, the brother has been occupying the home without paying compensation to the rest of the co-owners and without taking charge of the necessary maintenance. He has barely been heating a room to save money and has always refused to undertake repairs because he considers that the house “belongs to everyone.”
Meanwhile, the property has deteriorated over the years. The house, which was initially valued at 110,000 euros, now barely reaches 50,000 euros due to abandonment and poor state of conservation.
The situation has generated even more tension between the brothers. One of them proposed buying the house for its current value to renovate it and sell it later, but the brother who lives there opposed it because he believes the price is too low.
The reason, according to experts, is obvious: he has been living in the property for a decade without paying rent or assuming significant expenses.
Legal risk and total blockage between heirs
The other heirs are now demanding compensation for illegal occupation equivalent to 500 euros per month for the last five years, about 30,000 euros in total. And, although a co-owner can use an inherited home, he must financially compensate the rest if he enjoys it exclusively.
However, the conflict remains blocked because none of the heirs want to bear the costs of initiating legal proceedings to formally divide the inheritance.
Furthermore, the problem does not end there. No one has been paying homeowner’s insurance or property taxes for years, which could lead to liens or even legal liabilities for all co-owners.
Lawyer Jean-Joël Governatori warns that the risks are significant: if a tile falls on a pedestrian or any accident related to the home occurs, all heirs could be held responsible, even those who do not live there.