Loan to a colleague!

ManPants

No one needs to tell me what a fool I've been........

A work colleague borrowed £2500 off me last October. I won't bother with the whys and wherefores but it then transpired that she had borrowed money off several other work colleagues in the preceding months as she had - apparently - had her bank card cloned and had money taken etc etc.

She does not know that I know about the other loans which are incidentally now all paid off.

She is married and her husband does not know about her poor finances apparently. I have found him via facebook and as he works in his own business I have a number too.

I am leaving my current work place in 2 months. Yet again this week the money was due to clear in my account but hasn't. I honestly thought this time it would go in. As I am a level above her in the work place it rather puts me in a precarious position.

I have told her I'll be taking her to court if I don't get it back.

Over the years people have been kind to me when I've been on hard times and loaned me money - which I've always paid back asap. I guess in a stupid, romantic notion I wanted to help someone out like I have been helped.

Any suggestions? Can she declare herself bankrupt in which case I'll lose it anyway. Should I go to small claims court??

Any help would be great.

TheEffect

Do you have a loan agreement, anything in writing?

If not, unless she willingly pays you back, it's gone.

andyfromotley

On the positive front she has paid back the others so with luck you will get yours to. just keep up the pressure on her, explain how much the money means to you and how you are not in a position to let it go. Nag and guilt trip her into it.

I suspect that she almost certainly will be gambling with the money, if so there will be times when she has money, put the squeeze on her so that when she has it you get it. Drop in that you will have to go to her husband to see if he can repay you.

Cyberman60

She's probably trying to get a loan from yet another colleague before she can repay you.

ManPants

No Nothing in writing, just the bank transfer to prove I've done it.

And yes, Cyberman she has apparently approached other colleagues as well. Unfortunately, what had happened was people had actually loaned her money and kept quiet about it hence the reason I got snared in too. Now her finances are a bit more public as she has asked so many individuals.

I found out from someone else, that her mother - who is actually a fairly public figure - won't give her another penny as she has had so much out of her already!

I really can't afford to just lose this money!

Jon_B_2

1st rule of lending money to friends and acquaintances:-

Only lend what you can afford to miss.

matttye

TheEffect wrote: »

Do you have a loan agreement, anything in writing?

If not, unless she willingly pays you back, it's gone.

Not if she accepts liability or fails to respond to a court claim (judgment in default).

nobblyned

You say that she was due to pay you this week. Do you have any evidence of this? Emails saying I'll pay you, or the such like? Anything you have that admits the debt would be a step forward for any future court action.

If you don't have anything, try to generate something. Maybe email her saying, "was disappointed to not get the 2500 you owe me this week, could you let me know when you will be able to pay?" Any reply of apology, or suggested future date of repayment would be useful.

[Deleted User]

Make it official and follow through with court claim
https://www.gov.uk/make-court-claim-for-money/overview


How in this day and age you approach someone in the workplace with financial problems I'll never know - I borrowed, well had enforced on me a pound this week while that was a caught in the moment embarrassing circumstance (to join in on the grand national whip round) which I paid back next day, turned out on the borrowed pound I had also got best envious odds on our desk!! xx

ManPants

I have LOADS of text messages from her with excuses and reasons why she hasn't paid. Lots of banking problems, always buying extra time for herself. I honestly thought this month - which is 6 months - it would be paid back. One of my other colleagues got paid back after 6 months (sadly, I think it was my loan that paid off some of his £2000).

It turns out she has a holiday booked now too which almost certainly will be on her credit card but again, that will need paying back too.

dave88uk

stupotstu,

I'm in a very similar situation. I loaned to someone who I thought of as a brother, the typical ending has ensued.

Someone mentioned above about encouraging incriminating evidence by way of email. I did something very similar.

I went down his house with a contract regarding the debt and put it infront of him, telling him to "sign this". Obviously he didn't have the audacity to not sign it and I walked out with a legally binding contract acknowledging the debt and a repayment plan. He's now defaulted on this, but at least this time it's legal.