False Claimant in Property Records in the Philippines

I. Introduction

A “false claimant” in property records is a person who appears, asserts, registers, annotates, or causes the recording of a claim over land or real property despite having no lawful right, title, authority, or interest over it. In the Philippines, this situation can arise in many forms: a stranger claiming ownership of land, a relative falsely asserting inheritance rights, a person using a fake deed of sale, a supposed buyer relying on a forged document, an occupant claiming tax declaration ownership, or an individual causing an adverse claim or notice of lis pendens to be annotated without valid basis.

The problem is serious because Philippine property rights are heavily document-based. Titles, tax declarations, deeds, surveys, cadastral records, assessor’s records, registry annotations, barangay certifications, and court filings may all affect how property is perceived, sold, inherited, mortgaged, developed, or protected. A false claim, even if ultimately invalid, can cloud title, delay sale, discourage buyers, trigger boundary disputes, invite litigation, and cause financial loss.

A false claimant does not automatically become owner merely by appearing in a record. However, once a false claim enters government or private property records, the true owner must act carefully and promptly to prevent greater legal complications.

II. What Is a False Property Claim?

A false property claim is an assertion of ownership, possession, inheritance, lien, encumbrance, or other property interest that is legally unsupported or factually untrue.

It may involve:

1. A fake deed of sale;
2. A forged signature on a deed;
3. A fabricated extrajudicial settlement;
4. A false affidavit of self-adjudication;
5. A fraudulent special power of attorney;
6. A false tax declaration transfer;
7. A bogus tenant or agricultural claimant;
8. A fake heir claiming succession rights;
9. A person falsely claiming to be a buyer;
10. A person falsely claiming to be a co-owner;
11. An unauthorized person claiming to represent the owner;
12. A person causing an adverse claim to be annotated without valid basis;
13. A person using a fake court order, fake notarization, or fake survey plan;
14. A person occupying land and later claiming ownership through tax declarations;
15. A person registering a claim over ancestral, agricultural, residential, or commercial land without a valid basis.

A false claim may be intentional, negligent, mistaken, or based on a misunderstanding of inheritance, possession, tax declarations, or informal family arrangements. The legal response depends on the facts and the evidence.

III. Common Property Records Where False Claimants Appear

False claimants may appear in different property-related records, including:

1. Registry of Deeds Records

The Registry of Deeds is where titled land transactions, encumbrances, liens, mortgages, adverse claims, notices of lis pendens, court orders, and other registrable instruments may be recorded. A false claimant may attempt to register a deed, adverse claim, affidavit, or other document.

2. Transfer Certificate of Title or Original Certificate of Title

A false claimant may appear as a registered owner, buyer, mortgagee, lienholder, claimant, or person with an annotated interest. If the title itself has been transferred through fraud or forgery, the matter becomes especially serious.

3. Assessor’s Office Records

Tax declarations are maintained by the local assessor. A false claimant may cause a tax declaration to be issued or transferred in their name. However, a tax declaration is not conclusive proof of ownership. It is evidence of a claim of ownership and payment of real property taxes, but it does not defeat a valid Torrens title.

4. Treasurer’s Office Records

Payment of real property tax may be used by a claimant to support a claim. But payment of tax alone does not create ownership. A person cannot become owner merely by paying taxes on property they do not own.

5. Cadastral and Survey Records

Boundary disputes may involve false or inaccurate survey claims. A person may submit or rely on a survey plan that overlaps with another’s land.

6. Barangay Records

Barangay certifications, settlement records, blotter entries, or informal declarations may be used by a false claimant to support possession or alleged ownership. These records may have evidentiary value but do not replace title.

7. Court Records

A false claimant may file a civil case, estate proceeding, land registration case, quieting of title case, ejectment case, or petition involving the property. Once litigation is filed, a notice of lis pendens may be annotated if allowed.

8. DAR, DENR, LRA, or Other Agency Records

Agricultural land, public land, ancestral land, forest land, foreshore land, and land reform areas may involve records with government agencies. False claims in these records can affect land classification, patents, awards, or agrarian rights.

IV. False Claimant Versus Competing Claimant

Not every adverse claimant is a false claimant. Philippine property disputes often involve genuine conflicting claims, especially in inheritance cases, old untitled lands, overlapping surveys, informal sales, unpartitioned co-ownership, and possession-based disputes.

A person may be wrong without being fraudulent. A claim may be weak but not fabricated. A person may believe they inherited land but misunderstand succession law. A buyer may rely on a defective deed without knowing it is defective. A tax declaration holder may believe tax records prove ownership.

A “false claimant” should therefore be understood as a person whose claim is unsupported, fraudulent, fabricated, unauthorized, or made in bad faith. Evidence is crucial before accusing someone of falsification, fraud, or malicious claim.

V. Torrens Title and the Principle of Registered Ownership

The Philippines follows the Torrens system for registered land. A certificate of title is generally strong evidence of ownership. The purpose of the Torrens system is to provide certainty, stability, and reliability in land ownership.

If the land is titled and the true owner’s name appears on the certificate of title, a false claimant ordinarily cannot defeat that title by mere possession, tax declarations, barangay certifications, private documents, or verbal claims.

However, title is not a magic shield against every problem. Fraudulent documents may still be presented for registration. Forged deeds may be used to cause transfer. Adverse claims may be annotated. Fake court documents may be attempted. A title may be clouded even when the claimant’s case is weak.

The true owner should therefore protect both the physical property and the paper trail.

VI. Tax Declaration Is Not Title

A common misconception in Philippine property disputes is that a tax declaration proves ownership. It does not. A tax declaration may support a claim of ownership, especially for untitled land, but it is not equivalent to a certificate of title.

A false claimant may say, “The tax declaration is in my name,” or “I paid real property tax for years.” These facts may be relevant, but they are not conclusive. If another person holds a valid Torrens title, the title generally prevails over a tax declaration.

For untitled land, tax declarations and tax payments may matter more, especially when combined with long possession, improvements, surveys, and other evidence. Still, they do not automatically establish ownership.

VII. Adverse Claim: Valid Protection or False Cloud on Title?

An adverse claim is an annotation on a title made by a person claiming an interest adverse to the registered owner. It is intended to protect a claimant whose right may not yet be fully reflected in the title.

A legitimate adverse claim may be proper, such as when a buyer has a valid deed of sale but transfer has not yet been completed. However, a false adverse claim may be used to harass the owner, block a sale, pressure settlement, or create the appearance of a dispute.

If an adverse claim is baseless, the owner may seek its cancellation through appropriate legal steps. The proper remedy depends on the nature of the annotation, the documents used, and whether the claimant objects.

VIII. Notice of Lis Pendens

A notice of lis pendens means that litigation involving the property is pending. It warns buyers and third parties that the property is subject to a case. A false claimant may file a case and cause a notice of lis pendens to be annotated.

A notice of lis pendens can seriously affect marketability. Buyers, banks, developers, and lenders may refuse to proceed while it remains on title.

If the case does not directly affect title or possession, or if the notice was improperly annotated, the owner may seek cancellation. Courts are cautious because lis pendens protects pending property litigation, but it should not be used abusively.

IX. Forged Deeds and Fraudulent Transfers

One of the most dangerous forms of false claim is a forged deed. A person may forge the owner’s signature on a deed of sale, deed of donation, deed of partition, extrajudicial settlement, special power of attorney, or mortgage document.

A forged deed is generally void. It conveys no title. A person cannot transfer ownership through a forged signature because no real consent was given.

However, even a void document can cause practical harm if it is notarized, accepted by offices, or used to transfer records. The owner may need to file criminal, civil, and administrative actions to cancel the fraudulent record and restore title.

X. Fake Heirs and False Inheritance Claims

False claims frequently arise in succession disputes. A person may falsely claim to be an heir, exclude legitimate heirs, execute an extrajudicial settlement without authority, or sell inherited property without consent of co-heirs.

Issues commonly include:

1. A non-heir claiming to be a child, spouse, or relative;
2. One heir selling the entire property without consent of others;
3. A person using a fake affidavit of heirship;
4. Omission of compulsory heirs;
5. False representation that the estate has no debts;
6. Fraudulent transfer of tax declarations;
7. Unauthorized sale of estate property before settlement.

In inheritance cases, ownership may be complicated because heirs acquire rights upon death of the decedent, but settlement, partition, tax compliance, and title transfer may still be required. A false heir should be challenged through estate, civil, or criminal remedies depending on the facts.

XI. False Claim Based on Possession

A person in possession of property may later claim ownership. This may involve informal settlers, caretakers, relatives, tenants, former employees, lessees, agricultural occupants, or neighbors.

Possession alone does not always equal ownership. A caretaker does not become owner merely by staying on land. A tenant does not become owner merely by cultivating land. A lessee does not become owner by paying rent. A relative allowed to stay by tolerance does not become owner simply because time passed.

However, possession can become legally significant in some cases, especially for untitled land, acquisitive prescription, public land claims, agrarian rights, or long, adverse, public possession under claim of ownership. The owner must therefore avoid sleeping on rights.

XII. False Claimant in Untitled Land

Untitled land disputes are more difficult because there is no Torrens title conclusively identifying the registered owner. Evidence may include tax declarations, surveys, possession, improvements, inheritance documents, deeds, cadastral records, public land records, and witness testimony.

A false claimant in untitled land may attempt to obtain a tax declaration, patent, title, or survey in their name. The true claimant must act early, especially if a land registration or public land application is pending.

For untitled land, possession and documentary history are often critical. The person with stronger evidence of lawful possession, ownership claim, tax payments, inheritance, and compliance with land laws usually has the better position.

XIII. False Claimant in Co-Owned Property

Co-ownership is a common source of confusion. One co-owner may falsely claim exclusive ownership. A co-heir may transfer or mortgage the entire property. A relative may claim that family land belongs only to them because the tax declaration is in their name.

In co-ownership, each co-owner owns an ideal or undivided share until partition. A co-owner generally cannot sell more than their share without authority from the others. A buyer from one co-owner may acquire only that co-owner’s rights, unless the other co-owners authorized the transaction.

A false exclusive claim by one co-owner may be challenged through partition, reconveyance, annulment of documents, accounting, injunction, or damages.

XIV. False Claimant in Condominium or Subdivision Records

False claims may also arise in condominium and subdivision settings. These may involve association records, parking slots, certificates of title, condominium certificates of title, deeds of restrictions, homeowners’ association records, or developer documents.

Examples include:

1. A person claiming a parking slot not included in their title;
2. A person claiming ownership of a unit based on an unregistered or fake deed;
3. A homeowners’ association recognizing the wrong occupant;
4. A developer issuing conflicting documents;
5. A buyer claiming full ownership despite unpaid balance;
6. A former spouse or partner asserting rights without legal basis.

The controlling documents are usually the certificate of title, master deed, deed of restrictions, contract to sell, deed of absolute sale, turnover documents, and association records.

XV. Legal Remedies Against a False Claimant

The proper remedy depends on the type of property, the record affected, and the nature of the false claim.

1. Verification of Records

The first step is to secure certified true copies of relevant records, including the title, tax declaration, deed, annotations, survey plans, assessor’s records, and registry documents. The owner must know exactly what the false claimant filed or caused to be recorded.

2. Demand Letter

A formal demand letter may require the false claimant to withdraw the claim, execute corrective documents, vacate the property, stop representing themselves as owner, or cease interfering with sale, possession, or development.

A demand letter is useful for documentation and may support later claims for damages or bad faith.

3. Petition or Action for Cancellation of Annotation

If the false claim appears as an annotation on the title, the owner may seek cancellation through the appropriate procedure. Some annotations may be cancelled administratively if requirements are met. Others require court action.

4. Quieting of Title

Quieting of title is a remedy when a person’s title is clouded by an apparently valid but actually invalid claim, instrument, record, or encumbrance. This is often appropriate when a false claimant’s document creates doubt over ownership.

The objective is to remove the cloud and establish that the claimant’s asserted interest is invalid.

5. Reconveyance

If property was transferred through fraud, mistake, or wrongful registration, an action for reconveyance may be available. Reconveyance seeks to restore property to the rightful owner or compel the holder of title to transfer it back.

If the property has already passed to an innocent purchaser for value, remedies may become more complex and may shift to damages against the wrongdoer.

6. Annulment or Nullity of Deed

If the false claim is based on a forged, simulated, unauthorized, or void deed, the owner may seek declaration of nullity or annulment of the instrument.

A forged deed is void. A deed signed without authority by a supposed agent may also be invalid. A sale without consent of the true owner cannot transfer ownership.

7. Injunction

If the false claimant is about to sell, mortgage, develop, enter, fence, demolish, harvest, or otherwise interfere with the property, the owner may seek injunctive relief. Injunction is intended to prevent imminent harm.

8. Ejectment

If the false claimant is occupying the property, an ejectment case may be appropriate. This may be unlawful detainer or forcible entry, depending on how possession began.

Ejectment focuses mainly on possession, not ultimate ownership, although ownership may be provisionally discussed to resolve possession.

9. Accion Publiciana

If the possession dispute falls outside ejectment or requires a more complete determination of the better right to possess, accion publiciana may be considered.

10. Accion Reivindicatoria

If the owner seeks recovery of ownership and possession, accion reivindicatoria may be appropriate. This is a full ownership action.

11. Partition

If the false claimant is a co-heir or co-owner claiming more than their share, partition may be the correct remedy. Partition determines shares and separates ownership interests.

12. Cancellation or Correction of Tax Declaration

If the false claim appears in assessor’s records, the owner may request correction or cancellation of the tax declaration, subject to local procedures and proof.

13. Criminal Complaint

If the false claim involves forgery, falsification, use of falsified documents, perjury, estafa, or other criminal acts, a criminal complaint may be filed.

Criminal liability requires proof beyond reasonable doubt. It should be pursued when there is evidence of intentional wrongdoing.

14. Administrative Complaint

If a notary public, government employee, broker, real estate practitioner, or professional participated in the false claim, administrative remedies may be available.

XVI. Criminal Aspects of False Property Claims

A false property claim may involve criminal offenses depending on the conduct.

Possible offenses may include:

1. Falsification of public, official, or commercial documents;
2. Use of falsified documents;
3. Perjury;
4. Estafa or swindling;
5. Other deceit-related offenses;
6. Usurpation or unlawful occupation in proper cases;
7. Grave coercion or malicious mischief if force or damage is involved;
8. Fraudulent transactions involving notarized documents;
9. False testimony or false statements in official proceedings.

A false claimant who merely asserts a mistaken belief may not be criminally liable. Criminal liability usually requires intentional falsehood, fraud, deceit, or knowing use of false documents.

XVII. Civil Liability for False Property Claims

A false claimant may be civilly liable for damages if their actions caused injury. Possible damages include:

1. Loss of sale;
2. Loss of rental income;
3. Delay in development;
4. Legal expenses;
5. Damage to title;
6. Expenses for correction of records;
7. Loss caused by fraudulent transfer;
8. Moral damages in proper cases;
9. Exemplary damages in cases of bad faith or oppressive conduct;
10. Attorney’s fees when legally justified.

Civil liability depends on proof of wrongful act, damage, and causal connection.

XVIII. Administrative Liability of Public Officers or Notaries

False claims often pass through notarization or government recording. A notary public who notarizes a document without personal appearance, competent evidence of identity, or proper notarial procedure may face administrative sanctions.

Government employees who knowingly process fraudulent documents, tamper with records, or assist in false transfers may face administrative, civil, or criminal liability.

However, government offices are not automatically liable merely because a document was filed. Liability depends on participation, negligence, bad faith, or violation of duty.

XIX. Due Diligence for Property Owners

Property owners should regularly protect their records. Practical steps include:

1. Obtain a certified true copy of the title from the Registry of Deeds;
2. Check for new annotations;
3. Verify tax declaration records with the assessor;
4. Pay real property taxes under the correct owner’s name;
5. Keep original deeds and documents secure;
6. Monitor vacant land against intruders or caretakers claiming ownership;
7. Avoid leaving land unattended for long periods;
8. Document possession through photos, fencing, leases, caretaker agreements, and tax payments;
9. Use written authority for caretakers and agents;
10. Avoid signing blank documents;
11. Verify notarization details;
12. Record family settlements properly;
13. Settle estates and partition inherited property when possible;
14. Register valid transactions promptly;
15. Investigate any unknown person claiming ownership.

XX. Due Diligence for Buyers

A buyer must be cautious when a property has a possible false claimant. Before buying, the buyer should:

1. Obtain a certified true copy of the title;
2. Check all annotations;
3. Verify the seller’s identity;
4. Confirm marital status and spousal consent if needed;
5. Check tax declarations and real property tax payments;
6. Inspect the property physically;
7. Ask who occupies the property;
8. Check for tenants, informal settlers, caretakers, or adverse possessors;
9. Verify authority of agents through a valid special power of attorney;
10. Review inheritance documents if seller is an heir;
11. Check for pending cases or notices of lis pendens;
12. Confirm subdivision, zoning, and land use restrictions;
13. Avoid relying only on photocopies;
14. Confirm notarization and document authenticity;
15. Consult a lawyer before paying large amounts.

A buyer who ignores red flags may lose protection as an innocent purchaser in good faith.

XXI. Red Flags of a False Claim

Warning signs include:

1. The claimant refuses to show original documents;
2. The claimant relies only on photocopies;
3. The claimant’s document is recently notarized but supposedly based on an old transaction;
4. The owner’s signature appears suspicious;
5. The claimant is not in the chain of title;
6. The claimant insists on rushed payment;
7. The claimant cannot explain how they acquired the property;
8. The tax declaration changed names without a clear deed;
9. There are overlapping surveys;
10. The claimant claims ownership but never paid taxes or possessed the property;
11. The claimant is a caretaker, tenant, or relative who was merely allowed to stay;
12. The claimant uses threats instead of documents;
13. The claimant filed an adverse claim only after learning of a sale;
14. The claimant claims to represent the owner but has no valid authority;
15. The claimant uses inconsistent names, addresses, or signatures.

XXII. What the True Owner Should Do Immediately

When a false claimant appears, the owner should act in an organized manner:

1. Secure certified true copies of the title and all annotations;
2. Secure assessor’s records and tax declarations;
3. Get copies of the claimant’s alleged documents;
4. Verify notarization;
5. Document possession and improvements;
6. Check whether any case has been filed;
7. Send a written demand if appropriate;
8. Avoid verbal confrontations;
9. Do not sign compromise documents without advice;
10. Consult a lawyer if records have been altered;
11. File the proper action before the claim causes further damage.

Delay can make the problem worse, especially if the false claimant sells to another person, mortgages the property, occupies it, or secures additional documents.

XXIII. Importance of Certified True Copies

In property disputes, certified true copies are stronger than ordinary photocopies. The owner should obtain certified copies from:

1. Registry of Deeds;
2. Assessor’s Office;
3. Treasurer’s Office;
4. Court, if a case exists;
5. Notarial records, if available;
6. DENR, DAR, LRA, or other relevant agencies;
7. Condominium or subdivision management office, if applicable.

Certified records help establish what was officially filed, when it was filed, and who caused it to be recorded.

XXIV. False Claimant and Good Faith Buyers

A false claimant may attempt to sell property to an innocent buyer. Philippine law protects buyers in good faith under certain circumstances, especially in registered land transactions. However, good faith is not automatic.

A buyer may be considered in bad faith if there are visible occupants, adverse claims, suspicious documents, irregular annotations, pending cases, or facts that should have prompted further investigation.

If the false claimant sells property they do not own, the sale is generally ineffective against the true owner. But if title was fraudulently transferred and later sold to an innocent purchaser for value, the dispute becomes more complicated. The true owner may need to pursue reconveyance, cancellation, or damages depending on the circumstances.

XXV. Prescription, Laches, and Delay

Property owners should not ignore false claims. Delay may create defenses such as prescription, laches, or reliance by third parties.

Some actions involving title, reconveyance, fraud, possession, or nullity have different prescriptive periods depending on the facts. Some void instruments may be attacked differently from voidable instruments. Possession-based claims may also be affected by time.

Because limitation periods are technical, a property owner should seek legal advice promptly once a false claim is discovered.

XXVI. False Claims in Family Property

Family property is especially vulnerable to false claims because arrangements are often informal. Common problems include:

1. One sibling holding title “for convenience”;
2. A parent transferring property to one child but intending shared benefit;
3. Heirs failing to settle the estate;
4. Oral partitions not reflected in documents;
5. Relatives occupying portions without written agreements;
6. Tax declarations placed in one relative’s name;
7. Unauthorized sale by one heir;
8. Missing documents after death of the owner;
9. Forged signatures of elderly or deceased relatives;
10. Disputes involving second families or illegitimate children.

The best preventive measure is proper estate planning, written agreements, notarized documents, settlement of estate, and registration of transactions.

XXVII. False Claims by Caretakers, Tenants, or Occupants

Owners often allow caretakers, tenants, workers, or relatives to stay on land. Over time, these occupants may claim ownership. To prevent this, owners should use written caretaker agreements, lease contracts, authority letters, or acknowledgments that possession is by permission and not as owner.

A person whose possession began by tolerance generally cannot easily claim ownership against the true owner. But if records are poor and possession is long, disputes may become difficult.

XXVIII. Remedies Against Harassment Claims

Sometimes a false claim is made not to win ownership but to harass the owner or extract money. The claimant may threaten buyers, post signs, file barangay complaints, annotate claims, or spread statements that the property is disputed.

The owner may respond through demand letters, injunction, damages, cancellation of annotations, criminal complaint if false documents are used, or administrative remedies where appropriate.

The owner should avoid self-help measures that may create separate liability. The safer approach is documentation and lawful proceedings.

XXIX. Barangay Conciliation

If the dispute is between individuals residing in the same city or municipality, barangay conciliation may be required before court filing for certain disputes. However, not all property disputes are covered. Cases involving corporations, urgent injunctions, parties from different localities, or issues outside barangay authority may be exempt.

Even when barangay proceedings occur, barangay officials cannot decide ownership of titled property with final legal effect. They may help mediate, but ownership disputes usually require court or proper administrative action.

XXX. Sample Demand Letter Against a False Claimant

Subject: Demand to Cease False Claim Over Property

Dear [Name]:

I am the lawful owner or authorized representative of the owner of the property located at [address/property description], covered by [title/tax declaration/record details].

It has come to my attention that you have been claiming ownership, possession, or interest over the property and/or causing such claim to be reflected in certain records. Based on available documents, your claim has no lawful basis.

You are hereby demanded to immediately cease from representing yourself as owner, claimant, buyer, heir, agent, or person with interest over the property; to stop interfering with the owner’s possession, sale, lease, development, or administration of the property; and to withdraw or correct any false record, annotation, declaration, or document caused by you.

Failure to comply may compel the owner to pursue appropriate civil, criminal, and administrative remedies, including claims for damages, attorney’s fees, and costs.

This letter is sent without prejudice to all rights and remedies available under law.

Sincerely, [Name]

XXXI. Sample Affidavit Outline for Property Owner

An owner may prepare an affidavit containing:

1. Identity of the owner;
2. Description of the property;
3. Basis of ownership;
4. Title or tax declaration details;
5. Discovery of the false claim;
6. Identity of the false claimant, if known;
7. Documents or acts constituting the false claim;
8. Statement that the claimant was never authorized;
9. Statement that any deed, sale, transfer, or claim is false or unauthorized;
10. Request for investigation, correction, or legal action.

An affidavit should be truthful, specific, and supported by documents.

XXXII. Key Legal Principles

The following principles are central:

1. A claim is not ownership.

A person does not become owner simply by claiming property.

2. Tax declarations are not titles.

They may support a claim but do not defeat a valid certificate of title.

3. Forgery conveys no ownership.

A forged deed is generally void and transfers no rights.

4. Possession must be legally understood.

Possession may matter, but not all possession creates ownership.

5. Annotations can cloud title.

Even a weak claim can affect sale, mortgage, or development.

6. Records must be corrected.

False entries should not be ignored.

7. Delay can be dangerous.

A false claim may grow stronger in practical effect if the owner fails to act.

8. Evidence controls.

Titles, certified records, deeds, tax documents, possession history, and witness testimony determine the strength of a case.

XXXIII. Conclusion

A false claimant in Philippine property records can create serious legal and practical problems. Even if the claimant has no valid ownership, the existence of a false record, annotation, tax declaration, deed, or possession claim may cloud title, delay transactions, and force the true owner into legal action.

The proper response begins with verification. The owner should obtain certified copies of the title, annotations, tax declarations, deeds, and other relevant records. The owner should then determine whether the false claim involves a mere mistake, an invalid assertion, a forged document, a fraudulent transfer, unauthorized possession, or a pending court case.

Available remedies may include demand, correction of records, cancellation of annotations, quieting of title, reconveyance, annulment of deed, ejectment, injunction, damages, criminal complaint, or administrative complaint.

The central rule is clear: a person who has no lawful right to property cannot acquire ownership merely by inserting their name into records, paying taxes, occupying the land, or making a public claim. But the true owner must act promptly, document the facts, and use the proper legal remedy to remove the false claim and protect the property.