Quitclaim Deed of Rented Home Never Transfered to New Owner

[jennianne]

My question involves real estate located in the State of: Indiana

I am a "tenant" in a home which my landlord acquired through a quitclaim deed. We intended to buy the property but due to a problem with the deed, we agreed to rent until it was resolved. That was over a year ago. The lease has long since expired, but we still live in the home. The landlord is derelict and refuses to make repairs or fix the issues with the deed.

After doing some of my own research on the property, I've found that due to an incorrect legal description the previous owner signed off on the property via a quitclaim deed, but it could not be transferred to my landlord. Nothing has been done to correct the problem and that was in October of 2007. I've also found that there is currently a $3,000 tax bill in default on the property.

What is the legal status of this home? Could I acquire ownership by getting survey, fixing the legal description and paying the back taxes? I don't want to come off like a thief, but I'm awfully uncomfortable about our precarious living situation.

Thank you

[Mr. Knowitall]

You cannot get ownership simply by paying taxes, and there's no way of "fixing the legal description" to property you don't own in order to get title.

[jennianne]

Let me try again...

The house will go to tax sale in August. If I pick it up at a tax sale, is the legal description fixable? Can it be solved with a survey and a real estate attorney?

What is the legal status of the home now? Considering that the previous owner signed it over to the new owner, but it couldn't be transferred, and the tax is still being billed to the previous owner?

If I buy this house at the tax sale, am I still obligated to pay rent until the current owner's opportunity to pay the taxes back has expired?