Hello, my friend is an 82 year old woman and in 1999 she went to a lawyer to have a document drawn up. Her daughter just gave me the document asking "What does this mean?"

Top of document says This Indenture, made the  etc.etc etc. between MY FRIEND indicating she's Party of the first part and Her Daughter, Her Son, and her two grandchildren. as Joint Tenants with Right of Survivorship.

party of the second part.  Witnesseth, that the party of the first part in consideration of Ten dollars paid by the party of the second part does hereby grand and release unto the party of the second party, the heirs or successors and assigns of the party of the second part forever. 

All the certain plot, piece of parcel of land (then it gives the addresses and all the geographical details of the premises.

THEN there is a paragraph that says. 

"Subject to a life tenancy in (my 82 year old friend's name), She will pay all expenses of running the house. She will collect the rent for the second floor apartment. Subject to a tenancy of the first floor occupied by her son (gives his name.  FYI, the son lives in the basement with his wife and never paid a dime's rent while living in the basement for the past 20 years.

On the back of this document on the bottom it says 

BARGAIN AND SALE DEED with covenant against grantor's acts

Title No.  (this is blank)

Name (the 82 year old )

To:  The son, the daughter and the two grandchildren as Joint Tenants with Right of Survivorship.

My 82 year old friend's daughter doe s not understand what this document means. I told her "your mom turned over the house to you , your brother who lives in the basement, and your two children. She can live in the house until she dies, pays all the bills, and gets to live there. Your brother will still live in the basement even though it says on the document, that he lives on the first floor and never contributed a dime.

The guy who lives in basement for 20 years without paying a dime knows about this document, went nuts and yelled "When my mother dies, I'm entitled to HALF this house, not one fourth".  Nobody can make me move, nobody can sell this house and I won't leave"

So what exactly is going on here. Am I right in assuming that she transferred the deed to these 4 people (is this what the words "Joint Tenants with Right of Survivorship" means?

Oh, when I looked up Lot and Block info on the computer (this is in NYC by the way) the house is in the name of the 82 year old woman.  No other name appears as owner.

Thank you kindly if someone can answer. The guy who lives in the basement with his wife and they pay no rent for 20 years, well they really think they will get HALF of the house when the mom dies.

Thanks so much 

Mel