My ex owes me money.

LADYSC

My ex-boyfriend owes me money.

I've changed the locks to the house and told him he can come for his stuff when he has the money he owes me. Am I legally within my rights to do this? I do not want to break the law but I do want my money back.

Looking forward to hearing your advice.

hazyjo

Is the property in your name or joint names? (Rented/owned?)


I don't think you can keep his stuff, but presuming it's your property, he can't let himself in to collect.


Maybe let him collect the stuff, but take him to the small claims court for what he owes you. Going to be hard to prove though unless you have contracts or at least texts admitting he owes you the money.

AylesburyDuck

You cant hold his stuff to ransome, may i suggest a LBA giving him a set time to pay or then going via the small claims court to collect.

LADYSC

The property is in my name - I've had it for eight years. He was a relatively new boyfriend and had only been living here for six months - albeit rent-free!

Gavin83

mummycookson wrote: »

My ex-boyfriend owes me money. Can I legally keep his stuff til he pays me back?

No you can't. However assuming you have evidence that he owes you all the money you state you are entitled to take him to court to recover this. Has he actually said he isn't willing to pay it back?

LADYSC

AylesburyDuck wrote: »

You cant hold his stuff to ransome, may i suggest a LBA giving him a set time to pay or then going via the small claims court to collect.

Thanks for the advice but just wondering why not? Given, he's holding me to ransom by withholding the money he owes me?

LADYSC

Gavin83 wrote: »

No you can't. However assuming you have evidence that he owes you all the money you state you are entitled to take him to court to recover this. Has he actually said he isn't willing to pay it back?

Thank you Gavin but I still don't understand why not? And - he keeps changing his mind about paying me back, for weeks he's been saying that he'll pay me when he has it, today he said he didn't owe me a dime! I have kept all the texts, regarding the matter.

Red-Squirrel_2

mummycookson wrote: »

Thanks for the advice but just wondering why not? Given, he's holding me to ransom by withholding the money he owes me?

He can't do that either, if he really owes it to you then you have the right to go to court and get it back. If you withhold his stuff he has the right to go to court and force you to return it too.

Just give him his stuff back, certainly his passport and driving licence, he might be a *@!* but not doing so is just vindictive and makes you look just as bad.

hazyjo

mummycookson wrote: »

Thank you Gavin but I still don't understand why not?

Because it is not your stuff. You didn't take it, granted, so you've not stolen it - but it is someone else's stuff in your home so you are obliged to give it back as you're not entitled to keep it. You don't really have to 'understand' it - it's like explaining to someone why they can't keep an estate agent's coat they like if they come to value a house, or a friend's dog if they both stay for a week

Tigsteroonie

mummycookson wrote: »

Thanks for the advice but just wondering why not? Given, he's holding me to ransom by withholding the money he owes me?

Because two wrongs don't make a right.

Gavin83

mummycookson wrote: »

Thank you Gavin but I still don't understand why not? And - he keeps changing his mind about paying me back, for weeks he's been saying that he'll pay me when he has it, today he said he didn't owe me a dime! I have kept all the texts, regarding the matter.

Well it would put you in the same position. If he wanted his stuff back he'd have to take you to court, just as you'd have to take him to court for the money.

I guess the question is, do you want his stuff or do you want his money?