Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in California

Is an attached garage part of my rental? We've been renting a house in Los Angeles county (since December of last year) and it has a garage attached to the house. My husband and I use this garage to store some of our possessions, instead of as a parking space. The problem is, the owners of the house, who are/were our friends still have some boxes in what we consider is our garage (because we're renting from them). They don't live in Los Angeles, but come over once in a while, and have access to their things. We thought it was ok because they're our friends. Now, they're telling us to get our "junk" out of there because they want "their" garage. We think they want to use the garage as a storage area for their son, who recently lost his job and needs some space. But in our garage??? My husband and I say it's our garage, because we are renting the house and this is an enclosed property with a huge yard, and it has the garage attached to the house. There are no other rental houses inside the property. They think they have the "right" to come and go, to and from our garage whenever they please, and on top of that they want to take over the garage! We say they're wrong. Who's right?


Asked on 9/26/12, 5:30 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Anthony Roach Law Office of Anthony A. Roach

The first question I have is what does your lease say? If you don't have a written lease, or in the absence of any language as to what is rented, I would then ask what oral agreements or arrangements you have to date regarding the garage.

Absent anything else, I would say that you lease the entire space, and that they are trespassing.

Read more
Answered on 9/26/12, 5:46 pm


Related Questions & Answers

More Probate, Trusts, Wills & Estates questions and answers in California