Q: Leant $35,000 to a man to purchase home, he has sold it and refuses to pay me back.
My daughter's fiancé borrowed $35,000 to purchase home that we all lived in, engagement called off we moved out, he sold home and refuses to pay me back. What legal steps do I take to get my money back? Thank you. Patricia
A: If you consulted an attorney when you lent the money, the attorney could have prepared a loan agreement for him to sign, and secured it with a mortgage on the house. Use the Find a Lawyer tab to retain a local attorney to review all the facts and advise you whether you have any hope of recovering any of that money. If there was nothing in writing about it, there might be sufficient testimony or other evidence to establish that it was a loan and not a gift or rent that you paid in exchange for letting you live there. But there is no guarantee you can win in court, and even if you do, then you have to try to collect it from him. That will require more court action and could cost you quite a bit in legal fees and could take many months or even a year or more.
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