I'm left paying for my ex bf's PC. Advice wanted

bristol_pilot

The DFW board is full of people who have obtained goods and then not paid what they owed, for whatever reason. I have not seen one single post where a debtor has been arrested by the police for theft and I don't recall seeing many posts where goods were successfully reposessed. The slimeball does not have to prove it was a gift - the CPS would have to prove beyond reasonable doubt that it was theft. He has made payments, not too many thieves do that - not a chance of prosecuting for theft IMO. It is neither theft nor a gift. It is a matter of you having bought a PC for him and him not paying what he owes you - breach of contract, a civil matter.

If you take him to court (there will be a modest fee), chances are he will not turn up and judgement will be entered in your favour. I think you will have enough evidence for that, but go to Citizens Advice first to see what they think. But obtaining the money is another matter. If he were an upstanding member of society then the threat of a CCJ - that would impact his credit rating and possibly his career - could be enough to make him pay up. However this type of character is often Teflon-coated - he has nothing to lose. Curry's would not give him credit, so he probably has CCJ's already and he would just add yours to the pile. I take it he's not a trainee solicitor or anything like that where he would have to clear any CCJ's or risk losing his job. If he does not pay the CCJ you could then take out a warrant of execution (another fee) to send the bailiffs round to where he lives, probably they would come away empty-handed. On the other hand he has paid you some of what he owes which suggests he may not be totally determined not to pay any more, in which case a visit from the bailiffs may be enough to shame him into paying up. You may be able to re-posess the PC, but it is probably worth a small fraction of the debt.

Have you been a fool? No. You have taken a risk and it has not paid off. One foolish thing does not make a fool.

BrandNewDay

I'm not too savvy about how HP works, but any chance you could just tell Curry's that you're not paying for it, then give them his address and let them reposses it? You'd still owe some money, but at least he'd be out of a computer.

Sugar_Coated_Owl

I actually got to speak to him today and he said he would drop some money round. Well it's now 9:20 and so far no show. I've tried to call him but he doesn't answer. I'm so sick and tired of his bull!!!!. I've a good mind to go round to his and demand he give me back the PC. I am so !!!!ing annoyed right now :mad:

I just don't understand how someone can be so !!!!ing inconsiderate.

lemmings999

BrandNewDay wrote:

I'm not too savvy about how HP works, but any chance you could just tell Curry's that you're not paying for it, then give them his address and let them reposses it? You'd still owe some money, but at least he'd be out of a computer.

that isn't going to work as currys will not care about it due to the fact that they have already been paid by either hfc or hsbc depending on how long ago the loan was.
if the payment are stopped to said credit company's it will then negativley effect her credit raiting and run the risk of them selling the debt to someone who may start legal procedings or send the bailiffs round

Sugar_Coated_Owl

Update

I sent my ex a letter asking for either the PC to be returned or for him to pay the outstanding balance he never replied to the letter (I stated in the letter that he had 14 days to reply). On Monday I started a claim. He has received the court letter and ever since I've been sent numerous text messages and been called by him many times. His text messages are extremely nasty. He says I'm !!!!ing evil and he doesn't know why he ever went out with me e.t.c I have lots of messages telling me what a horrible and nasty person I am. It upsets me but I am trying to ignore it.

Anyway he has now got his family involved. I lived with him and his parents from Aug-Dec of 2003. I paid £600 to his parents after I left. Now in retaliation my ex's Mum/Dad/Bro's want to take me to court for unpaid housekeeping/rent. Can they do this? I mean I've paid £600 already.

I'm at a loss as to what to do. It's all his family against me

Any advice appreciated.

wigginsmum

Did you write a contract agreeing to pay them X amount? I doubt it. I think you can ignore this - it's just sabre-rattling. Stand firm.

MarkyMarkD

I'm starting to feel a bit less sorry for you now, razor. You had 5 months of accommodation with food for £600? And you are moaning about the loss of value of a computer (part of which has been paid)?

I know that there was probably no contractual agreement to pay rent or any similar thing, but I also feel you are being a bit one-sided about the financial consequences of the relationship.

Of course, if there are lots of other things where you paid more than your fair share which evens out the rent situation, that's different and I apologise.

hjb123

Is their claim not way out of date really? I mean its 3 years since you stayed with them?

Just ignore them and continue on with the court order.

Are you still paying the money off? If so can it not be transferred to his name in some way?

Iriahm

hey chick (((HUGS)))

i'd stand firm and i know its hard. my best friend's ex left her with all their utility bills, unpaid rent in her name (she wrongly thought it was in joint names and he'd been paying it) and stole her tv. It all got very nasty but all worked out in the end. He had to give back the tv and because she was a good record keeper and proved it was hers, she took him to court about all the money (over £1k). Basically he settled instead of it going to court and his dad paid her.

his mum was horrendous to her about "hurting" her baby when he was a controlling lunatic. The police weren't able to do a thing but she persevered....the photo's i'd taken of her with his boot print on her face helped get him to acknowledge the debt. blackmail? me? never! i lost part of my bestfriend to that *&$*£(^)$ so I have no regrets!

keep at it and keep letting off steam on here!

gather up all your paperwork and if you don't have a contract for living in his parents house they are entitled to nothing. You only contributed to general housekeeping as a "goodwill gesture" as you are a reasonable person.

good luck!

Dr.Shoe_2

bristol_pilot wrote:

I expect the police will not be interested, they will see it as a civil matter (he owes you money) rather than theft.

I bet it'll be a different matter if you had defrauded a computer out of some big corporation in much the same way!

I think that a visit with a couple of hefty mates to "reposess" it might be the answer and then tell him that he only gets it backb when he comes up to date with his payments. I suspect that he only needs the computer because he has an addiction to computer games.