Laws for landlords
The law a landlord runs into, explained one topic at a time
Each guide answers one question an owner actually asks, with the statute it comes from and a picture of how it works. Pick a topic, or find the place your property stands in below.
- Europe, US, CanadaSquatters' rightsHow long someone must occupy a property before it can become theirs, and what an owner may and may never do meanwhile.59places covered, each on its own pageRead
- FranceThe French rental law of 1989Law 89-462: lease terms, notice, the deposit, rent rules, repairs and the energy letting ban.1989the year of the law that still governs a French home leaseRead
- FranceFurnished tourist let classificationWhat a star rating for a French holiday let changes at tax time, and everything it does not exempt you from.5 yearshow long a rating lasts before it must be renewedRead
By place
Find the place your property stands in
The law follows the property, not the owner. Every page below is one country, state or province, with its own period and statute.
Europe
31 pages
The European Union, plus the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland. Most of these are civil law countries, where the idea is called acquisitive prescription.
- Austria30 to 40 years
- Belgium10 to 30 years
- Bulgaria5 to 10 years
- Croatia10 to 20 years
- CyprusNot possible
- Czech Republic10 to 20 years
- Denmark20 years
- Estonia10 to 30 years
- Finland10 years
- France10 to 30 years
- Germany30 years
- Greece10 to 20 years
- Hungary15 years
- Iceland20 years
- Ireland12 to 30 years
- Italy10 to 20 years
- Latvia10 years
- Lithuania10 years
- Luxembourg30 years
- Malta10 to 30 years
- Netherlands10 to 20 years
- Norway20 years
- Poland20 to 30 years
- Portugal5 to 20 years
- Romania5 to 10 years
- Slovakia10 years
- Slovenia10 years
- Spain10 to 30 years
- Sweden10 to 20 years
- Switzerland10 to 30 years
- United Kingdom10 to 12 years
United States
15 pages
Adverse possession is set state by state. These are the states people ask about most.
Canada
13 pages
Every province and territory. Several that register land under a title system have abolished adverse possession altogether.
These guides are general information, not legal advice. Laws change and a local rule can sit on top of a national one, so confirm the current rule for your address before acting on it.