Property Ownership

A Washington homeowner installs a fence that turns out to be 2 feet inside their neighbor's property. The neighbor later sells their property. The new neighbor demands removal of the fence. The fence owner may argue:

AAdverse possession, if all elements have been met for 10 years✓ Correct
BThe fence was permissible because the prior neighbor didn't object
CA prescriptive easement for the fence location
DThat property boundaries are merely suggestions

Explanation

If the encroaching fence has been in place openly, notoriously, exclusively, and adversely for 10 years, the fence owner may have acquired title to the strip by adverse possession under RCW 7.28.050. The change in ownership of the neighbor's property does not reset the adverse possession clock.

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