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Question

I want to break a joint tenancy in Florida; can I do so by announcing same in writing to my joint tenant? Thanks.

Submitted: 164 days and 22 hours ago.
Category: Real Estate Law
Value: $40
Status: CLOSED
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Optional Information

State/Country relating to question: Florida

Already Tried:
My client in Florida bought a condo with his daughter, but they are not able to share it as planned; she no longer livers there, as they had agreed; he no longer is able to vacation here, as they had agreed; and she may have rented it out--on her own--to tenants. He is older, and does not want to be a joint tenant with her.

Posted by Law Pro 164 days and 22 hours ago.

Info Request

No, what type of property is it that's involved? Is there a right of survivorship? Who is the other joint tenant and what, if any, is your personal relationship?

164 days and 22 hours ago.

Reply

See added information. It is currently joint with right of survivorship. I am an attorney in Maryland; co-tenant, my client, is the elderly father.

Posted by Law Pro 164 days and 22 hours ago.

Info Request

Does he want to gift it to her or what does he want to do with it?

164 days and 22 hours ago.

Reply

He wants to sell the property. He is unhappy about their relationship, and does not want her to inherit the property. Alternatively, he wants to will his share to his grandchildren.

Posted by Law Pro 164 days and 22 hours ago.

Answer

Then he will have to file a "Partition Action"

 

A partition is a term used in the law of real property to describe an act, by a court order or otherwise, to divide up a concurrent estate into separate portions representing the proportionate interests of the tenants. Under the common law, any tenant who owns an undivided concurrent interest in land can seek such a division. In some cases, the parties agree to a specific division of the land; if they are unable to do so, the court will determine an appropriate division. A sole owner, or several owners, of a piece of land may partition its/their land by entering a Deed poll (sometimes referred to as "carving out").

 

There are three kinds of partition which can be awarded by court: partition in kind, partition by allotment, and partition by sale.

 

A partition in kind is a division of the property itself among the co-owners (this is usually not available).

 

In a partition by allotment, which is not available in all jurisdictions, the court awards full ownership of the land to a single owner or subset of owners, and orders them to pay the person or persons divested of ownership for the interest awarded.

 

Partition by sale constitutes a forced sale of the land, followed by division of the profits thus realized among the tenants. Generally, the court is supposed to order a partition sale only if the land cannot be physically divided, although this determination often rests on whether the economic value of the divided pieces is less in the aggregate than the value of the parcel as a single piece.

 

This is what would occur in your situation - partition by sale. The property is not divisible and he wants out. So, the only option for the court would be to order a partition by sale.

 

However, he can will his interest to his grandchildren - unless the deed states "joint tenants with the right of survivorship". If the deed states that - then, if she doesn't agree with changing the deed, he will have to file a partition action regardless to mandate a change in the title of ownership.

164 days and 22 hours ago.

Reply

Thank you for your response. Without going to the effort and expense of a partition suit, do you recomend a written statement that the joint tenancy is renounced, and he wants his one half share to go according to his will?

Accepted Answer

That doesn't do it - sorry. That would be giving up an interest by her. As such, he will either have to get her to agree to file a new deed or file a partition action.

 

She couldn't just renounce the joint tenant with right of survivorship either - she stuck too.

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Expert: Law Pro
Pos. Feedback: 98.7 %
Accepts: 1623
Answered: 8/28/2009

Lawyer

19 years extensive experience in real estate law, foreclosure, finance, and landlord tenant law.

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