These states should caution adverse possession, squatters can take over in 10 years without a deed, paid taxes [Video]

In certain instances, an individual can gain possession of your property if they meet specific requirements. The legal term for this is “adverse possession.”

As squatting incidents run rampant through certain communities across the country, Fox News Digital investigated how individuals can gain possession of private property under certain requirements, commonly known in the legal realm as “adverse possession.”

Adverse possession can go hand-in-hand with squatting issues, and is commonly referred to as “squatters’ rights.“

With stories of squatters popping up around the country, adverse possession has also been brought to light.

Adverse possession can happen intentionally, in the case of a squatter, for example, or unintentionally. An example of unintentional adverse possession would be if a homeowner puts up a fence to mark the boundaries of their property, but unknowingly crosses into their neighbor’s land. The homeowner who built the fence could later claim unintentional adverse possession of that land.