Homeowner tears strip (of land) off neighbour.

by admin | Feb 17, 2018 | 2018 Toronto Star Property Law Columns, Toronto Star Property Law Columns

Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca A dispute between next-door neighbours over a two-foot-wide strip of land illustrates the property-law principle of adverse possession. Gillean Gibb and Liliana Maria Pereira are next-door neighbours on Grosvenor St., in London, Ont. A narrow...

Homeowners should always get neighbours’ permission before taking down boundary trees

by admin | Feb 3, 2018 | 2018 Toronto Star Property Law Columns, Toronto Star Property Law Columns

Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca Pay heed to the judge’s ruling in this relevant case before removing a tree that grows on multiple properties Can a person be convicted of illegally removing a property-line tree when the City has issued a permit authorizing it? That was the...

Who pays when you slip and fall on someone else’s property?

by admin | Jan 20, 2018 | 2018 Toronto Star Property Law Columns, Toronto Star Property Law Columns

Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca A court ruled there is no statutory or common-law duty on property owners to clear snow and ice from public sidewalks. Winter in Toronto can bring the early morning sounds of neighbours’ shovels on driveways and sidewalks, and snowplows on...

Property buyers should be aware of real estate lawyers’ legal standards

by admin | Jan 6, 2018 | 2018 Toronto Star Property Law Columns, Toronto Star Property Law Columns

Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca Know what to expect from your lawyer and you can avoid troublesome legal claims A fact sheet published last month by LawPRO — the Lawyers’ Professional Indemnity Company — provides an interesting insight into the practice standards expected of...

Adding relative’s name on a property title can backfire

by admin | Dec 23, 2017 | 2017 Toronto Star Property Law Columns, Toronto Star Property Law Columns

Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca Judge ruled there was no oppressive conduct on parents’ part that would justify the daughter’s position that she did not want to sell the house. It’s not uncommon for relatives to add their names onto the title of a house to help the real owner...

Can property deed be registered after death to avoid probate fee?

by admin | Dec 9, 2017 | 2017 Toronto Star Property Law Columns, Toronto Star Property Law Columns

Bob Aaron bob@aaron.ca ‘Zombie’ deeds have sparked a tricky legal debate. If a homeowner signs a deed to a house or other parcel of land during his or her lifetime, can it be registered after death to avoid the government’s 1.5 per cent probate fee? Many real estate...