Being sued for breach of contract - legal advice needed

gonzo127

jenza8 wrote: »

The original prospective buyer has now said that he is going to sue for breach of contract. He has been threatening saying that he will make his life a misery; that he will take him for everything that he has got and that he is not joking.
We have reason to believe that this man has done similar to this in the past. He claims that he can sue for breach of contract and for unlimited damages.

depending on how far this goes you could contact the police about harassment, might even be worth while contacting the local police station to lodge a complaint so that if it gets worse you will have history on the complaint

Hoof_Hearted

I know this is mean before I say it, but if your father-in-law has a £300,000 car, he can afford proper legal advice.

pathtofreedom

If you check your and his home and car insurance, you might have some legal cover included, so you can have a chat with a solicitor and put his mind at rest.

glentoran99

If the car was sold prior to the agreed date then he may have had a case, but they person didn't turn up, But even then I don't believe he would have had a case he is under absolutely no obligation to sell, same way if you walk into a car showroom and say you want to buy a car, but someone else nips in and pays a deposit first

Ozzuk

Offer to return the deposit...oh wait...

oldhand

jenza8 wrote: »

Can I ask what a promise of consideration involves? The man kept saying he was going to pay but payment dates came and went.

Indeed if there was such a law as "promise of consideration in this country" I could have sued at least 3 girlfriends who promised to marry me then dumped me..........Whoever that other guy is tell him take a hike and report his threats to local plod..

Ebe_Scrooge

jenza8 wrote: »

He has been threatening saying that he will make his life a misery; that he will take him for everything that he has got and that he is not joking. I would consider this a matter for the police.

He claims that he can sue for breach of contract and for unlimited damages. What damages ? What loss has the prospective buyer suffered ? If push came to shove, I guess at the very worst he just may be able to claim his travelling costs for coming to view the car, but even that is tenuous.

My thoughts above. I must say, I'm curious as to what car is valued at £300K used ?

facade

Ebe_Scrooge wrote: »

What damages ? What loss has the prospective buyer suffered ? If push came to shove, I guess at the very worst he just may be able to claim his travelling costs for coming to view the car, but even that is tenuous.

He probably has read the "Porsche Loving Pensioner" case, who got £35,000 which was the money he "lost" by not being able to buy the car for £135,000 and immediately sell it for £170,000 to the next person in the queue. (If he was a real enthusiast, he'd have intended to keep it, and only suffered the loss of the interest on his £10,000 deposit)

So he probably feels he is entitled to the difference between the £28,000 he was trying to raise to buy it and whatever he could have sold it on for.

I'd get some proper advice for peace of mind, as if he actually goes through with it, should you respond with "What contract? show it to me", or "We waited over a month for him to buy the car, and he never paid a penny" (Which suggests there was at least a verbal agreement.

AdrianC

Ebe_Scrooge wrote: »

I must say, I'm curious as to what car is valued at £300K used ?

A supercar or very posh classic of some flavour. It's eminently plausible, if a bit high-end.

Marktheshark

Verbal contracts are only worth the paper they are written on.