Hay theft?

John Fitzgerald · Sep 15, 2019

This is getting to be more about land rights than hay theft. I had no idea the relatives didn't have a deed. They are in a "Land Contract", which is a virtual rent to own contract. If they miss a payment, they will lose everything they have put into it, plus if they pay it off, there is still no absolute guarantee that a deed will be transferred. Those kinds of contracts are for the real owner to make some income, and be able to sell the same land over and over. I wouldn't want to be involved in that scene, as the buyer or seller. Bad deal IMO.

ovrszd · Sep 16, 2019

I agree John. They don't own it at all.

CobyRupert · Sep 16, 2019

...but what are they "renting"? The view?
How, or why, do you rent land and not have hay rights?
Do you have the right to drive on it, park on it, etc..? It would seem if somebody else has the "hay rights", you couldn't do ANYTHING on that land without trampling hay....so what are you really renting? What do you get for your money?

If the answer is: I'm renting 100 acres, but I only have use of 1 acre around the house, they why are you paying for the other 99?
Maybe it's less like renting, and more like a lay-away plan (stay-away plan?). Where you're paying on it, it's held by others, and you don't actually get use of it until you own it (if ever)?

This is very strange to a easterner.

John Fitzgerald · Sep 16, 2019

CobyRupert said:
...but what are they "renting"? The view?
How, or why, do you rent land and not have hay rights?
Do you have the right to drive on it, park on it, etc..? It would seem if somebody else has the "hay rights", you couldn't do ANYTHING on that land without trampling hay....so what are you really renting? What do you get for your money?

If the answer is: I'm renting 100 acres, but I only have use of 1 acre around the house, they why are you paying for the other 99?
Maybe it's less like renting, and more like a lay-away plan (stay-away plan?). Where you're paying on it, it's held by others, and you don't actually get use of it until you own it (if ever)?

This is very strange to a easterner.

They only have the use of what they actually use for the yard, and not really that. In the fall, after hay season, huge herds of cattle are turned onto the place, which joins other "places", not fenced, and they roam around, trampling everything. They can fence them out of the yard, but don't want to go to the expense, and to mess with gates or cattle guards, so the cattle damage everything, buildings and vehicles. It's a horrible situation. Even after it's paid for, no water rights. As of now, seems no rights at all, except occupancy. The object of the landowner is perpetual payments by tenants renting to own for not much benefit to the tenants. Maybe they might get some beef, if they finally have enough of the nuisance.<LOL>