Legal Advice Personal

If everything was just a verbal agreement then you could be out the money. The best thing would to be to take them to small claims to get some of the $ you paid back. But if the title is under their name it is "their" boat. Sorry it looks like some people you once trusted have shown you just how mean people can be.

Updated

If everything was just a verbal agreement then you could be out the money. The best thing would to be to take them to small claims to get some of the $ you paid back. But if the title is under their name it is "their" boat. Sorry it looks like some people you once trusted have shown you just how mean people can be.

I would get legal advice before this fiasco gets any more out of control. So sorry. What a lousy friend. BTW-stop trying to contact him, deal with a lawyer and follow his/her advice.

Updated

I would get legal advice before this fiasco gets any more out of control. So sorry. What a lousy friend. BTW-stop trying to contact him, deal with a lawyer and follow his/her advice.

Something like this happened to my sister's friend with a car. She took over the payments for almost 3 yrs--1 yr left on the loan and he wanted it back. he tried to report stolen but she had copies of the payments she made for it. The cops told her to take him to court. She won and he had to pay the court costs also. You could try calling the attorney general office in Texas and see what the law is there.

If you have no title, nothing in writing, then you're probably screwed and to attempt any recourse would be small claims court which will cost you money and if you win, only put a judgement against this person.

What was the agreement?

What type of receipts do you have that prove you were paying? We're you paying his loan with the assumption that the boat would be yours? Was the title signed over to you? Why not? Who paid for insurance? Has the boat been used in the time you were paying? Who used it?

This sounds like a classic Judge Judy case. No contract, no proof, equals you got screwed.

Hopefully you have some sort of documentation to back you up. Don't fall for the threats, especially if you have something concrete in writing.

Call the local non ER line of the police dept and ask questions. Get an attorney to help you.

Did you write checks for the payment, so that you have proof?

Good luck. I'm guessing you didn't get anything in writing when you took over payments...

Live and learn.

Take him to small claims court

Did you have anything in writing? Did you have them transfer the title in your name before taking over payments? If not you may well be out the money. But, if you at least have proof you made the payments you might be able to take them to small claims court, I would contact a lawyer. If you think they really did report it stolen I would also contact the police and see what kind of advice they might be able to give you. But if the title is in your name or you have something in writing (bill of sale)(as you should have insisted on before paying one red cent towards the loan) then you have nothing to worry about.

Gracy,

Welcome to mamapedia!!

Looks like you were taken advantage of. Do you have ANYTHING in writing? ANYTHING stating why you are paying for his boat and storage? anything about usage, repayment, ANYTHING??

In SOME states, a 'handshake' deal, is acceptable as a written contract, however, I don't know the laws in Texas - if that's where you really are.

Contact a lawyer, find out what your rights are and what you are responsible for. IF you have NOTHING - no handshake, nothing in writing? You are screwed. You did something out of the kindness of your heart and are now screwed.

You took over payments and possession of the boat and never legally changed it over to your name?

Sorry, but this is the lesson you learn. There is nothing you can do other then give it back and cut your losses.

What a terrible "friend". Is there more to this story? How does he think he can get away with doing this? I sure hope you have receipts for your payments and a written agreement.

So why aren't you getting an attorney to help you with this? That's your ONLY solution.

You might want to consult a lawyer on about this. If you don't the the title to the boat it may be difficult to prove you actually own it.

Tough lesson learned. You are out $6000. If you didn't have a written and signed agreement by both of you then you are SOL. Give him back the boat. Sounds like everything is still in his name. Even if you can prove you gave him money, you probably can't prove it was for the boat. Learn from it and move on. Good luck.

if you've got a contract, you're fine. if you've at least kept records of the payments you've made, you can go to small claims court and work it out.
if you don't have any records, you're screwed.
khairete
S.

Unless you had the lien on the boat transferred to your name, or a written agreement regarding reimbursement, you are s-o-l. Legally, all that happened was that you paid someone else's note and storage.

Since the amount you paid for the boat was over the limit for a small claim this wouldn't be a matter you could take up in small claims court. See an attorney and find out what your rights are. If you have proof of payment you may be able to do something with that. I hope you have some form of documentation of your payments on this boat.

I wouldn't talk to either of them about it without talking with my attorney first.

Updated

Since the amount you paid for the boat was over the limit for a small claim this wouldn't be a matter you could take up in small claims court. See an attorney and find out what your rights are. If you have proof of payment you may be able to do something with that. I hope you have some form of documentation of your payments on this boat.

I wouldn't talk to either of them about it without talking with my attorney first.

Talk to an attorney and see if you have any legal standing. I would think you don't. But an attorney will help you.