Rent from family, invested in property, need to move.

[Apace]

Jurisdiction

Ohio

I rent from my sister. When I decided to move in another adult, she wanted to raise the rent. I proposed an agreement for me to build a garage on the property instead of her raising the rent. She agreed to not raise rent after I proposed I'd live there for almost 10 years after building the garage. Now she wants to sell the property after I built the garage. What rights do I have to get my investment back? There has never been a lease in place and nothing was signed for the agreement. I have all receipts for the garage construction. The garage is on her property. Originally, she agreed to keeping the rent at the same amount if I built the garage. Now, because she is poor at managing money, she wants to double the rent and is disregarding the amount I spent on the garage which equals about $250/month, if I spread the cost of the garage over the ten years she agreed to me living there. I am ok with her selling as long as she pays me back the amount I invested. What rights do I have without a lease? The builder, the other adult who moved in, has documents from the build.

 

[ElleMD]

It was nice of you to build your sister a garage. You have zero claim on her property. If she wants to sell her property, she is entirely free to do so. What you want to work out among yourselves is between the two of you.

I'd say if you lived on her property for years without an increase in rent, including after you moved someone else in with you, you had a pretty sweet deal. How generous of you to allow her to rent without increase to you for a decade. Garage or not, you got the better end of that deal.

 

[adjusterjack]

she wants to sell the property after I built the garage. What rights do I have to get my investment back?

Zero.

Find yourself another place to live.

 

[Betty3]

I don't see where you have a right to any compensation from her. She is your sister too - let it go & move elsewhere.