Woman denies squatting allegations after living rent-free since her Colorado landlord died without a will

Mecca Busey has been living in a half-million-dollar home in Colorado without paying rent for about a year.

Neighbors accused her of squatting on the 102-year-old property, left vacant when the previous owner died without a will.

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But Busey claims she has a “verbal lease” with the landlord's granddaughter to live in the Lakewood home for free. She also disputes the allegations of lawlessness made by her neighbors.

She told NBC's 9NEWS that the oral agreement with the granddaughter allows her to live in the house on the condition that she makes improvements to the house and eventually buys the property.

“I come in here and make myself look good and all of a sudden they want me gone,” Busey said, adding that she would fight for the house until she was legally forced to leave .

Here's why this case is such a “mess,” to quote one local legal expert.

A “verbal lease”

Verbal leases of a year or less are legally binding in Colorado, but they are rarely a good idea. Without a written contract, any dispute that arises will be one person’s word against the other. Busey claims the former owner's granddaughter gave him the verbal green light to live in the house rent-free.

But police and court records obtained by 9NEWS describe the granddaughter as a “vulnerable adult” who lives in a facility for people with developmental disabilities, and she may not have the mental capacity to make reasonable decisions.

If there is a dispute over an oral lease in Colorado, success usually depends on the credibility of the parties involved, according to 9NEWS legal expert Whitney Traylor.

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In this case, Busey's past brushes with the law, which includes at least two identity theft convictions — plus the fact that neighbors called the police at least 19 times to file complaints — don't count in his favor.

Busey claims “there was no criminal activity” in the home and disputes the legal action against her. When asked directly by 9NEWS if she was “taking advantage” of the former owner's granddaughter, Busey responded, “Absolutely not.” I offered to buy the house.

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Dying without a will

The Busey case has “so much to unravel,” Traylor said. “The main problem is that the deceased who owned the property died without a will.”

If you die without a will in Colorado, your assets are distributed to your next of kin under the state's intestate succession laws. In this case, the owner's granddaughter may be the rightful heir to the property.

Only property subject to probate – including property titled only in the deceased person’s name – is affected by intestate succession laws. Assets that are not subject to probate – which includes anything whose beneficiaries are listed, such as life insurance, retirement accounts and certain bank accounts – will pass to any surviving co-owners or named beneficiaries, regardless of the existence of a will.

9NEWS reviewed probate court records for the contested home, which show the Jefferson County court system appointed a special administrator to determine who should inherit the property. The local news channel also reports that the administrator has been asked to “address issues that arose” after the grandfather's death, which could involve “illegal activities, squatters living on the property and likely drug use “.

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This article provides information only and should not be considered advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.