There has been land in my family for one hundred years. About 19 years ago I was put on title with four other family members. The land is in Ontario Canada. Ten years ago the title was change to myself and three other family members as one died and was removed from title. The property taxes were about two hundred dollars per year until about five years when they started to go up. The brother who died told me that the property was rented to a farmer who grazed his cattle for many years and that paid the property taxes. I lost touch with my brothers and did not even know were the property was. About six months ago one brother contacted by email and said that there was some property taxes owed and would I pay. I paid $1095. For the last year and one half taxes. I also paid a year some ten years ago. I just received a letter from a lawyer telling me that.

A sister in law (not on title) has been paying the property taxes for the last twenty years. That the amount of payments total $20,000. As she when there interest and penalty each year. She states that I have been contacted and requested to pay her many times over the years and she is going to petition the court to order the property sold and to pay her. I have never once discussed the property with her or been asked to pay anything by her or by any body until six months ago.

What should I do?

Can someone force a sale of property because they paid my share of the property taxes for several years without asking me for the money and then demanding it all at once

Not unless they bought the property at a tax sale for back taxes. ( normally a auction) if they merely went down to the court house and paid your taxes each year, you thank them for the gift, tell them you did not ask them to, did not borrow the money but you are glad they did.

If they just went and paid your taxes that is a gift. You don't ever have to pay them. If they bought the property at a tax sale, and got a tax certificate, yes they can demand paymnet in full or they may after the redemption period turn in the certificate for a deed to your home and evict you.

Well I can't speak for Canada, in the US, no this gives her no legal right at all. She could try and get paid back, but she would have to show that someone agreed to allow her to pay the taxes,

It sounds like a gift to me.

You say your "share" of the taxes? How is the property titlted? Did you not know you had to pay taxes? Didn't you wonder why you weren't billed?

But, chuck is right is someone pays taxes that are due, that's a gift.

I merged your threads. I would definitely recommend consulting an attorney. I think, at most, she would be entitled to reimbursement of what she paid.

The first time I talked to anyone in my family for ten years was another brother (not the one connected to sister in law)by email and he asked me to pay some taxes and I paid $1095. For the last year and a half. That brother gave me the property description and numbers in order for me to contact the property tax people and I reviewed the tax amount for the last ten years and they were about 200 hundred until last four years. I was not even sure that the brothers had not sold the property long ago without my imput. I did not know if it was rented.

I also do not know the Canada law. I'm going through a similar situation in the US with property that was willed to me and 3 siblings. The "sister-in-law" in my situation is basically causing the same problem regarding property taxes. She claims she is paying the property taxes so therefore my brother to whom she's married to has more rights than any sibling. There is a pointed executor in the will, which is my Uncle who wants to sell the property and split the proceeds 4 ways. Unfortuately its not that simple so a lawyer has to be involved. So I would have to agree with anyone that suggests contacting a lawyer. The sad part is no one comes out rich because if the property is sold then the taxes, the lawyers, the executor etc. get paid before the names on the deed. In conclusion, if the sister-in-law paid the taxes then she obviously wants the property so tell her to buy out the siblings and it's all hers!