Joint Purchases Dilemma HELP!

copey90

Hey this may seem trivial but I couldn't think of a better place to ask! I've made an account especially to do so and will be trying to use the forums alot more after

Basically me and my girlfriend have this year graduated, naturally we have moved on from uni, we both obviously lived in shared accomodation with ("FRIENDS") whilst there. At the start of the year she handed over (as did another 4 of her housemates) £150 to one of her housemates for start up bills and a HD TV which we have estimated around the value of atleast £550.

The months building upto the end of the rental contract she flagged up the issue of the television on numerous occasions however her flat mate seemed to brush over it. (she is quite a gentle soul so doesn't like to get confrontational with people) anyway conclusion was at the end the person she handed the money to basically said to quote "i'm having the TV" it was leaving day there wasn't time to argue, as she assumed this meant they where buying it and she would receive compensation.

Months have sinced passed and after numerous stalling tactics, they have turned around and said you get no money for second hand tv's so he is not going to give her any money for it plus its christmas soon (trying to guilt trip her) so he hasn't got money to spare.

I have hit the roof about him however I can't get involved directly as It's not my place to interfere with her friends as I could damage the relationship.

MY QUESTION: What legal ownership (if you have consumer rights documentation that would be great) does she have as a part owner if any? I have search around and all I have found is credit card rights for faulty goods.

She has suggested to him that she will find a buyer who will pay a suitable price, however as mentioned the dilemma is the fact it is two of her close friends (boyfriend and girlfriend) who are causing the issue so by being too pushy she is afraid of falling out with them.

I feel if I can argue the case in legal terms he will be pressured to pay her and I see it as unconfrontational.

Thank you for your time reading this i'm off to bed now but I will get back it in the morning at work!

TLR: joint ownership of TV at uni, refusing to compensate after left, moral dilema as it is friend, wondered what legal stance is on such a situtation as it is unconfronational

Hintza

Interesting one. My son was going to do the same this year and I told him that they had to have an agreed future value or auction it amongst themselves at the end of the year. So that they got back at least some money.

He ended up buying one himself, which has really made me mad....:mad:

Why not offer to buy it for a reasonable price. Didiwhatsa resableprice willult in a round of gamesmanship though.

copey90

Yeah thats what we're gearing upto i'm just trying to prepare for battle haha

He's already made the error of saying its not worth anything so thats one in our favor but when I switch that around I can see it getting nasty.

After seeing this thought I hope you're not to hard on him! Atleast it's his for the long term

unholyangel

First thing your gf needs to do is decide whether £x amount is worth losing them as friends.

Theres a saying i heard years ago and its strange how true it is. Its "if you loan a friend £20 and never see that friend again, it was probably worth every penny".

Are they the type of people she actually wants as friends or is she just friends with them because they've been friends for a while?

somethingcorporate

No legal redress unless there was something agreed upfront. The apathy in the situation means that legally there is no grounds for anything here.

Either let them take the tv and lose them as friends or scream and shout and spread nasty rumours and lose them as friends. If they are being morons then I cannot see why you would want them as friends if they are very selfish anyway.

scheming_gypsy

I'm guessing everybody paid in cash? which would mean that all 5 people will have bank statments to say they've all drawn out £150 but nothing to say where it's gone and no contract between the 6 of them; whereas the person with the TV will have a receipt / invoice / gaurantee etc in their name to say they bought a TV.

Flyboy152

I don't understand what makes you think that a television set bought ages ago, for five hundred and fifty pounds, is still worth five hundred and fifty pounds.

McKneff

You'll be lucky if its worth £50 now, is all the fuss and stress worth it for round about a tenner.

Best thing to do is move on and bin the'friends' who are no friends at all.

scheming_gypsy

McKneff wrote: »

You'll be lucky if its worth £50 now, is all the fuss and stress worth it for round about a tenner.

.

According to the first post it was bought at the start of the year and 'months have passed' with trying to get the money back. So it would have been fairly new at the time of them going their separate ways.

nomoneytoday

Maybe they should agree a fair value, based on ebay prices or local 2nd hand stores, then divide this "cost" from the telly keeper to the others who contributed?

copey90

Yeah everyone paid cash, the only person with the receipt is the person who owned it. If we can prove a fair value i.e. ebay can we claim Legally that that amount is owed to us?