How can I buy a piece of land in Germany whose owner is unknown? German version below Long story short: I am interested in buying a piece of land next to ours. According to the official land register (Grundbuch), it belongs to two people, let's call them G and S. Facts known about these people: G: definitely dead (died some time in the 1990s in 1979) had a husband (who died as well, after her) and four children I have contact information for three of the children, but none for the fourth, who I'll call S S: seems to have fallen out with the other three siblings has moved to Spain years ago might have died there was married when she moved to Spain her husband (&quot;H&quot;) might be dead or alive, and if both are dead, he might have died before or after her. has died in 2019 and was divorced then. Everything very complicated. Despite of the land being covered with junk and essentially being worthless, I plan to buy that land because it would enhance out piece of land and, besides, in order to prevent that soemone else buys it. If it wouldn't be covered with junk, it would be worth about 1000 €, but cleaning up the junk will probably cost more than that. But how can I find out whom to contact? What can I do to find out if S is still alive and where she lives? Or better: How can I find out about the fourth, the heirs of the fourth, or evidence that the fourth share has passed to the three other owners? I see the following options: Contact the &quot;inhabitants registry&quot; (Einwohnermeldeamt) to find out what happened to S Contact the inheritance court (Nachlassgericht) to find out who inherited what when (if I even am entitled to get information about that) maybe to get a &quot;inheritance administrator&quot; (Nachlassverwalter)? hire a private investigator – this will probably too expensive. There is another issue about that land: because of the high trees on it (which we plan to remove as soon as we have the land), it poses a potential danger to our house we live in: if the trees fall in the wrong direction, our house might be in danger. So in any case, we might want (and need) to know who is responsible for this piece of land. Update: I have asked at the town's tax office. They are not allowed to give me that information, and are likely as well not allowed to do so if I put in a request by mail. I also have asked at the &quot;inhabitants registry&quot;, but only online. The system could not give me the requested information. But maybe I could do the request again in person. As of 2022: everything has resolved. See my answer to be posted. The whole stuff in German, because whoever is able to help me probably reads better German then English: Ich habe Interesse, ein Grundstück neben unserem Grundstück zu kaufen. Gemäß dem Grundbuch gehört es zwei Personen, die ich nun G und S nenne. Was ich über diese weiß: G: starb in den 1990ern 1979 an einem Autounfall hatte einen Ehemann (Ende der 1990er ebenfalls verstorben) und vier Kinder ich kann wohl drei der vier Kinder erreichen, aber nicht das vierte, nennen wir es S S: hat wohl keinen Kontakt zu den anderen verzog vor Jahren nach Spanien könnte dort verstorben sein war zum Zeitpunkt des Umzugs verheiratet ihr Ehemann (&quot;H&quot;) könnte noch leben oder ebenfalls verstorben sein, und falls beide verstorben sind, ist die Reihenfolge des Todes für die Frage evtl. auch relevant, jedoch unbekannt. verstarb 2019. Alles sehr kompliziert. Obwohl das Grundstück total zugemüllt und daher &quot;netto wertlos&quot; ist, habe ich vor, es zu kaufen, da es gut zu unserem Stück passen würde, und um zu verhindern, dass evtl. jemand anders kauft. Wäre es nicht zugemüllt, wäre es wohl etwa 1000 € wert, aber es zu entmüllen wäre sicherlich teurer als das. Aber wie finde ich heraus, wen ich diesbezüglich kontaktieren muss? Was kann ich tun, um mehr über S herauszufinden? Oder besser: Wie kann ich S finden, ihre Erben oder Gewissheit darüber, dass ihr Anteil an die anderen drei Eigentümer übergegangen ist? Ich sehe die folgenden Optionen: Über das Einwohnermeldeamt herausfinden, was mit S geschehen ist Das Nachlassgericht kontaktieren, um herauszufinden, wer was wann von wem geerbt hat (falls ich überhapt berechtigt bin, diese Information zu erhalten) möglicherweise einen Nachlassverwalter einsetzen zu lassen, der einen eventuellen Verkauf regeln könnte einen Privatdetektiv anheuern – das wird aber vermutlich zu teuer. Es gibt einen weiteren Punkt: aufgrund des Baumbewuchses (den wir beseitigen werden, sobald wir dürfen) stellt es eine potentielle Gefahr für unser Haus dar: die Bäume sind so groß, dass sie auf unser Haus fallen könnten. Dies wäre daher ein weiterer Grund, weshalb wir herausfinden wollen und müssen, wer für das Grundstück verantwortlich ist. Update: Ich habe bei der Stadtkasse nachgefragt, wer die Grundsteuer für das Grundstück bezahle. Leider durfte man mir diese Information nicht geben, und stellten mir in Aussicht, dass auch eine schriftliche Anfrage daran nichts ändern werde. Ich habe auch eine Melderegisteranfrage getätigt, jedoch nur online. Das System konnte mir die erbetenen Informationen nicht bereitstellen. Möglicherweise könnte ich die Anfrage jedoch persönlich (vor Ort) wiederholen. 2022: Alles hat sich geklärt. Ich werde eine Antwort posten.
Finding S seems to be hard and I have not much hope, if her siblings cannot provide any information. I think the "inhabitants registry" (Einwohnermeldeamt) is not allowed to give you her first address in Spain ("Zuzugsanschrift im Ausland") (§§ 44 and 45 Bundesmeldegesetz (BMG)). The best option I see is a court auction (Zwangsversteigerung), more precise a "Teilungsversteigerung". If one of S's siblings want money for the land, he can ask for a court auction at the local court (Amtsgericht). The court will get S's first address in Spain (§ 34 BMG) and if it cannot deliver its letter to S, there will be a "public delivery" (öffentliche Zustellung) through a posting in court. It would take a while, but in the end the land could be yours. Be prepared that the cost for the court auction will be much higher than the 1000€. If you plan to take this way, ask a lawyer for detailed advice. Also you need one of S's siblings to participate in the process. If the trees are really a danger for your house, the heirs could also have an obligation to remove them. Maybe this could help you too.
It is not correct to say that &quot;Gutenberg is banned in Germany&quot;. A German court ruled that Project Gutenberg (US) could not provide copies of 18 works to addresses in Germany. PGLF (the foundation that runs Project Gutenberg) decided to block all access from Germany, because similar claims might be made about other works, leading to added legal expense in Germany. PGLF is said to be appealing the German Court's decision. Many works in the PG collection are clearly out of copyright in Germany, under German law. Providing those works would not infringe German copyright. As long as the PG license is complied with (and it is quite permissive) I see no legal problem with such works, but anyone planning to start a business or service reproducing such works would be wise to consult a lawyer with knowledge of copyright law in that person's country. Note that there are PG affiliates in several countries, including Germany and Australia, that operate under their own local copyright rules, and are run separately, and have different collections of works.
Is it a legal requirement in the UK to publish purchase prices for land... england-and-wales Yes Section 8(2) of the Land Registration Rules 2003 requires.. Where practicable, the registrar must enter in the proprietorship register— (a)on first registration of a registered estate, (b)following completion by registration of a lease which is a registrable disposition, and (c)on a subsequent change of proprietor of a registered estate, the price paid or value declared for the registered estate. And note that: The terms of a confidentiality clause will not override the obligation on the registrar to enter the price paid in the register. Source scotland Yes Rule 5(g) of the Land Registration (Scotland) Rules 2006 requires the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland to record in the &quot;Title Sheet&quot;: any consideration stated for the transfer of the interest in land; northern-ireland Yes Rule 41 of the Land Registration Rules (Northern Ireland) 1994 requires that... A transfer of ownership shall be made by a deed in Form 9 [to] 16 ...and all those Forms (found at pages 105 to 115) require details of the consideration made or paid.
Neighbors(including us) around the property started to mow the part in front of their yard(the weeds grew very high) and continue to do so(is it illegal for us to mow this overgrown land?). There are probably city codes around maintenance of lawns, cutting grass and clearing weeds. You should alert the relevant authorities and they will make sure that the maintenance occurs. You should probably not do it yourself since (a) you don't owe the owner any favors and (b) you might cause trouble for yourself. Recently there was some mowing by large tractors but very little was cut and most of it grew back. The question is really whether their activities bring them into compliance with applicable city codes or not. If they are compliant and you simply don't like how they maintain their property, that is tough luck. If they are not compliant, you are well within your rights to vigorously report them to relevant code enforcement authorities. This overgrown golf course is home to many wild animals(coyotes, snakes, foxes, alligators, etc..) See above 1) Is there any legal action that we can take to force the land owner to maintain the land? See above 2) Could this land somehow under some law be divided and given to the maintainers. This is an interesting question. Technically there are circumstances wherein you could take what's called adverse possession of part or all of the property. This would probably include doing things like actually residing on some piece of that land and establishing a residence there - perhaps getting mail or paying taxes there or paying utilities or operating a business - for a certain period of time without any interference from the technical owner. If you can meet the requirements of adverse possession then you might be able to become a legal owner. Unless you have little to lose, however, actually doing it might be difficult. 3) Is it legal to walk/drive on this land. (I see people walking their dogs, and driving atv's and motor bikes on the golf course) Unless you have been given notice otherwise, it is perfectly legal to walk wherever you like. It is the owner's responsibility to provide reasonable notice and take reasonable precautions against unwanted trespass; e.g., putting up a wall or fence, closing and/or locking a door or gate, posting signs and/or hiring security to patrol the property and enforce property rights - or occasionally checking to make sure their property isn't overrun with squatters.
No, in germany there is no universal requirement as to form (Formfreiheit). This includes associating a signature with a name in block letters. In principle you can enforce a contract in court even if the written contract does not identify the contracting parties by spelled out name, but by signature only. It stands to reason there is no benefit in omitting the full names. The legislature implemented elevated form requirements for certain legal transactions by mandating the use of a notary. Here, again, there is no requirement as to put a plain text name next to your signature. The link between signature and person is established via the notary’s documentation. You could put an alias “Donald Duck” next to your signature, the notarial deed will indicate that in fact Kalle Richter signed the document. As far as I am aware all european-union legal transactions will need to go through their official channels. It is simply not possible, for example, to establish a European Economic Interest Grouping on a scrap of paper. Thus there is no issue and in turn no regulation. One thing is for sure, the european-union does not impose a “minimum framework” on its member states. I recollect there are some directives regarding electronic signatures, but that is a different story now.
A "land contract" is not a way of renting property, it is a way of purchasing property on an installment basis without bank financing. It is Ohio's version of what in some other places is known as "contract for deed". See "What is a Land Contract in Ohio" and "How Land Contracts Work" The actual law is Section 5313. In a land contract, the buyer has equitable but not legal title. The buyer normally pays all taxes and fees, and is responsible for maintaining the property, just as if s/he has bought the property. But if the buyer defaults, all payments and equity would be forfeit to the seller. Until the buyer has paid 20% of the purchase price, or made 5 years of payments (whichever comes first) a single missed payment constitutes default and can lead to the buyer being evicted with all payments to date going to the seller, the buyer coming out of the deal with nothing. Also, if the seller still has a mortgage and defaults, the buyer may lose everything paid to date. The buyer does not have the protections that a lease gives a tenant, nor the protections that legal title gives a purchaser via a traditional mortgage. Land contracts are often used when the buyer cannot qualify for a mortgage. The buyer pays interest, and it is often at a higher rate than the current rate on a mortgage. Land contracts are often a form of predatory lending, but for some buyers they make sense. A buyer needs to carefully review the contract with a lawyer knowledgeable about land contracts, and consider the risks and benefits of this form of financing. As I understand it, there cannot be a valid land contract for one apartment in an apartment building. A land contract must be for title to the land and all fixtures, including all buildings, on it. (There was at one point some unclarity if the question referred to an apartment. It is now clear that it refers to a house, so this statement is not relevant to the OP, but may be to others.) It is not clear just what the OP's landlord (LL) has in mind. It may be that LL plans to offer a "land contract" in which the purchase would be completed only after a very long time, with the idea that the OP would simply default when s/he wanted to move. Such a default could harm the OP's credit. There seems no benefit to the OP in such a scheme compared to a lease, unless LL will lower the price significantly, taking into account maintenance costs and taxes, which OP may well be expected to pay under a land contract. Note that a landlord can't legally force a tenant to sign a document cancelling a lease, or to sign whatever s/he will call a "land contract". Nor can s/he cancel the lease without the tenant's consent except for good cause as specified in the law (such as not paying rent). S/He could become uncooperative on other matters if a tenant doesn't do as s/he wants. If a tenant does cancel his or her lease, s/he will lose some rights. Others are guaranteed by law as long as the tenant is paying rent. If one signs a "land contract", what happens depends on its provisions. OP needs to very carefully consider just what is being offered, and its risks and any possible benefits. Details of the contract will matter. No matter exactly what LL has in mind, this is not at all a usual procedure for a landlord. OP or anyone in a similar circumstance should be very careful.
As a legal matter, you need to call or visit your local police station, report that you found some lost money, answer their questions honestly and dispassionately (they don't care about your hate etc. unless it's causing an active situation they have to deal with, and even then they don't much want to hear you go on about it), and then let them deal with it. You can tell your neighbor, if he inquires, that you have handed the matter to the local police and he can inquire with them about claiming it; feel free to ask the police to affirm that's the suitable course of action. You can expect to be given legal possession of it if they are unable to determine the true owner in accordance with local law. You can ask the police for details on that, though they'll probably just tell you as a matter of procedure without prompting.
I am sorry for your loss, and that you have to deal with bills on top of everything else. The quick answer is yes, you might have to sell the house to pay your mother's bills. As you probably know, the estate includes both your mother's assets (cash, house, car, and so on) and her debts. In general, to &quot;settle the estate,&quot; the executor must pay all debts before she gives away any of the assets. Legal Aid of West Virginia has a helpful website about West Virginia probate law. Here is what it says about this issue: If you can’t pay all of your family member’s creditors from the person’s available money, you must sell off the family member’s property and pay the creditors in the order listed in W. Va. Code § 44-2-21; W. Va. Code §§ 44-1-18 to -20. You may have to sell the family member’s land or home in order to pay creditors. W. Va. Code § 44-8-7. Added after comments Under WV law, it does not matter that you were bequeathed your mother’s house. The law gives debtors priority over heirs. This means debtors are paid before any heir. Heirs are “paid” from whatever is left in the estate after the debts are paid. So if the estate is underwater, if it owes more than it is worth, there will be nothing left in the estate to give to the heirs. As executor, your job is to carry out West Virginia law. The nuts and bolts of what happens if you refuse to the sell the house depends on WV law. You might be able to find the details by searching on line, but your best bet is to probably to talk to an attorney who specializes in WV probate law. An attorney will know both the law on the books, and how that law is implemented. They will be able to advise you on what options you really have, and the costs and benefits of those options. If the estate is underwater, you could buy the house from the estate. If you do that, you will not be liable for any of your mother’s debts; those are owed by the estate. Depending on how the sale is handled, this may be your (financially) best option. (Depending on whether the price covers the debt, and on what other heirs are bequeathed, the court might worry about you selling yourself the house at a discount price, and thus look at the sale very carefully.)