(a) When record title to real property remains encumbered by any undischarged mortgage, and the mortgagor or those owning the mortgagor's interest therein have been in undisturbed possession of the property for at least twenty years after the expiration of the time limited in the mortgage for the full performance of the conditions thereof, or for at least forty years from the recording of the mortgage if the mortgage does not disclose the time when the note or indebtedness is payable or the time for full performance of the conditions of the mortgage, unless a notice is recorded pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, the mortgage shall be invalid as a further lien against the real property, provided an affidavit, subscribed and sworn to by the party in possession, stating the fact of such possession, is recorded on the land records of the town in which the property is situated.

(b) The record holder of an undischarged mortgage on real property may, prior to the expiration of the applicable time period specified in subsection (a) of this section, record a notice, on the land records of the town in which the property is situated, that contains: (1) The name or names of the mortgagors; (2) the recording information for the mortgage and any assignment of the mortgage; and (3) a statement of the reasons why the mortgage is valid and effective. Upon the recording of such notice in accordance with this subsection, the applicable time period after which the mortgage shall be invalid as a further lien against the real property as provided in subsection (a) of this section shall be tolled for a period of ten years from the recording of such notice. Any such notice shall be indexed in the grantor's index under the name or names of the mortgagors and in the grantee's index under the name of the record holder of the mortgage.

(1969, P.A. 595, S. 3; P.A. 79-602, S. 73; P.A. 95-102, S. 5; P.A. 06-156, S. 4.)

History: P.A. 79-602 substituted “the” for “such” where appearing; P.A. 95-102 required 40 rather than 60 years of undisturbed possession and deleted reference to “presumed” invalidity of mortgage; P.A. 06-156 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and amended same by replacing 40 years with 20 years re expiration of time limited in mortgage for full performance, adding provision re 40-year time period if mortgage does not disclose time payable or for full performance, inserting provision re notice recorded pursuant to Subsec. (b) and making technical changes, and added Subsec. (b) re tolling of applicable time period by recording notice.