My wife and I built a house on her grandmas land with about 3.5 acres(in our name now) of a larger 22 acre plot. It’s mostly field that a farmer uses for hay but we plan to take it over once we get a tractor. On one side we have a street of neighbors with about 5 houses that border our land. Most people have been respectful about not encroaching on our property but some have gotten used to no one being there and have been taking advantage of no one really watching for years. Primarily have been dumping yard waste like grass clippings/tree branches and piles of leaves. Our land is surveyed and pins are visible.
Yesterday I happened to look out back when I was eating lunch and notice 3 people with a large tarp walking on our land into the corner of the back part of our property that I’ve been trying to clear out since there was a lot of trees and sticks piled up. I went back with my wife and were yelling to them to stop they are trespassing but kind of ignored us and dumped most of the tarp before we got to them. They got angry and said they’ve been dumping stuff there since they were 10 years old, never met the guy but I guess he grew up there. He went and got his mom who said my wife’s grandma didn’t mind and said they could years ago but there’s no way to prove that as my wife’s grandma is 98 and had a stroke several years ago and is not going to remember. So AITA for stopping peopling from dumping on our land?
What does it matter if the grandma didn’t mind? You’re the owner, you live there now and you do mind. NTA
They are likely trying to argue adverse possession, commonly known as squatter’s rights. That may not apply if OP is considered a new owner. In any event, OP doesn’t want this to become a legal issue. It’s better to handle it as others have suggested, firmly and quickly.
NTA “As the legal owners of this property now, we are informing you that you cannot dump waste on our land. We will follow this up with written confirmation. If we see you dumping on our land again we will escalate matters through official channels”
And if they want to argue maybe put up a camera so you can catch them in the act.
And a few signs saying “You are being recorded.” With some real cameras, and maybe also a couple of decoy cameras to make them really paranoid.
“This is our land now. Don’t dump! Do you hear the words coming out of my mouth?” NTA
NTA – \*PRIVATE PROPERTY\*.
If you do not want them on YOUR property, they can not be on it.
Dumping \*anything\* on Private Property is illegal without the Registered Owner’s explicit permission.
I’d look into cameras, potentially trail cams for the dark areas. Put up a few signs too. NTA at all. They could have burned their debris or went about it other legal ways rather than dumping on your property for 10 years. “No one there” or not. You don’t dump stuff.
Now is the time for some no trespassing and no dumping signs
This, get a bunch of no trespassing and no dumping signs and place one right at the edge of the backyard of every one of the houses that backs up to your land. Make sure they are big and yellow or orange and obvious. There are lots of battery powered cameras available now so set one back and every time someone enters your land call the cops.
NTAH ~ it doesn’t matter what they’ve been “doing for years” it’s no longer allowed. The former property owner can no longer give permission because she is the FORMER property owner. I agree with following up with legal action against the neighbors if they continue to be too lazy to bring their yard refuse to the local landfill (or whatever place it goes near your house) as long as they continue to do it because it’s a habit that needs to be broken and replaced with a new one. You’re now cleaning up after years of your grandma’s generosity ~ but she also had many more acres and most likely didn’t notice their mess.
Regardless of what grandma may have said, it’s not her land anymore. Your land, your rules. They can be mad.
Trail cameras, No Trespassing signs, No Dumping signs. Maybe even have your lawyer draft a letter informing the 5 neighbors of new ownership/new rules with a mention of consequences.
Even if Grandma gave permission years ago, it doesn’t matter now. There’s a new sheriff in town. You. Grandma’s permission does not convey with new ownership of the land.