When a 'friend' does a runner with your money

Streeteh

Streeteh

Streeteh

Soldato
Joined
9 Mar 2007
Posts
12,604
Location
Nodnol
Before i start, i can afford to lose what i lent and i'm not in financial trouble for it. The guy used to be someone i'd regard as a very close friend who had to move back to Bath for 6 months due to money issues. He had recently returned to London but again hit money problems, rather than have him move back (and lose a sizeable deposit on a flat) I lent him a bit of cash. We established that it would be very possible for him to pay me back quite quickly by looking at how much he earns/spends etc.

Much to my shock (it is a shock actually, I didn't expect him to be capable of it), he has gone off the grid without paying me back. He's certainly alive as he did contact another friend briefly after he was due to pay me back, but now he knows everyone is on to him he's cut all forms of contact.

I'm just curious if there's anything i can do (legally) which won't cost the earth that will either:

A: Recoup some of my losses
or
B: Severely damage his credit rating

It was all done via bank transfers, not cash in hand, and i have texts where the amount lent, date he was due to pay back, his address and bank details were exchanged and agreed upon. As i said, i can live without the money, it's more the principle that's driving me. I'm also curious what sort of legal grounds this sort of situation has, i'm going to guess very little to none.
 
How much chap? I would say this plays a large factor. As if it's £50. Forget it, if it's £5,000. Get someone who works in law involved. Not a forum.
 
Just a hair over £600, not massive money so i doubt it'd be possible to recoup any without encountering costs that equal or in fact exceed the original amount lent.

I'm more looking to see if anyone knows if it's at all possible to take any action and where to start. There's a few people with pretty decent knowledge of these things so i felt it wouldn't hurt to ask to get a general overview before i take it further (if it's worth the effort).
 
Last edited:
Sounds like the sort of case that you'd see on Judge Judy, I'm guessing the way to get it back would be to take him to small claims court over this.
 
Hmmm, that is a high amount to run off with.

I would report it as theft if I am honest, ring the police on the non emergency number and see what they say... I might be barking up the wrong tree but at least they might be able to tell you where to start?

Seems official, but at the end of the day, it is theft.
 
Dunno if others would think this to be particularly great advice but I've had the same happen to me in the past (£500) and I just chalked it up to experience, accepted the loss and never spoke to them again.

Contemplated calling the Police to report the theft, but the short and thick of it was: I couldn't be bothered.
 
agnes said:
Hmmm, that is a high amount to run off with.

I would report it as theft if I am honest, ring the police on the non emergency number and see what they say... I might be barking up the wrong tree but at least they might be able to tell you where to start?

Seems official, but at the end of the day, it is theft.
Click to expand...

Don't do this - It is not theft / not a criminal case - It is a civil case.

https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/web/mcol/welcome << This is your course of action if he has totally stopped replying to you.

If court rules in your favour and he doesnt pay he will get a CCJ.
 
Without anything in writing, and texts don't count here, I think you may have some trouble proving that it was a loan rather than a generous present. If he didn't sign anything saying he'd pay it back then legally it's just you sending him some money.
 
If you had lent him £150 more (£750) you could've apply bankruptcy in his name!

I would draft a claim form, fill it in but not sign it and let him know your intention and he has 14 days to respond and set up a payment schedule in writing. Failure to do so it will be lodged.

If he wants to play hard to get then all bets are off.
 
Permanently depriving the OP of the cash.. theft in anyway you look at it.

edit: snappish..
A person is guilty of theft if he dishonestly appropriates property belonging to another with the intention of permanently depriving the other of it;
Click to expand...
He dishonestly acquired the money by falsely agreeing to repay, and has now done a runner. Theft.
 
Dj_Jestar said:
Permanently depriving the OP of the cash.. theft in anyway you look at it.

edit: snappish..

He dishonestly acquired the money by falsely agreeing to repay, and has now done a runner. Theft.
Click to expand...


Morally but not legally.

Personally, if you can afford to lose it, but learn an important lesson - friends and lending money never go well together.
 
You can't go to court or anything as you don't have a written contract, texts are meaningless as are bank transfers as he can just file a defence saying you gave him the money and you dont have a leg to stand on, just forget it and move on or break his legs
 
Darg said:
Without anything in writing, and texts don't count here, I think you may have some trouble proving that it was a loan rather than a generous present. If he didn't sign anything saying he'd pay it back then legally it's just you sending him some money.
Click to expand...

Why does he need to sign something? Contracts work through communication of an offer, acceptance of an offer by the other party, delivery of said contract. It doesn't need to be in a formal written agreement as long as the tests of offer, acceptance etc, are met.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom