Landlord Owes Me Money!

[az86011]

In July 06, my husband and I moved into a house owned by a family friend (friends for 20+ years). As such, we didn't really bother too much with tenancy agreements etc. We always paid the rent on time and in full and looked after the property as if it were our own. We never bothered the landlord with maintenance problems, even spending our own money on improving the property.

We moved out in January after giving a months notice, the landlord then decided to sell the property. We came to a verbal agreement with him that we would leave the washing machine, tumble drier, 3 sets of curtains, all net curtains and 6 curtain poles/rails in the property, and when he sold it, he would pay us £350 towards the cost.

He then advertised the property as having these items included (which we know as we helped him fill in the estate agent/lawyer documents detailing the house content) and went on to sell the property privately.

We have come to ask him now for the £350 and he is stating that he won't pay us! He says we can go to the house to remove the items as he doesn't want them any more! Surely if he has sold the house with these items included he cannot do this??

Can anyone provide any advice on where to go? I know that small claims court is an option, but with only 'gentlemen's agreements' to go on, would it be worth it?

Any advise you can provide would be welcomed.

Thanks!

[RentedAndRankled]

I'm afraid that unless you've got something in writing I think you're not going to have much luck because even if you went to a small claims court it would just be your word against theirs.

[az86011]

Thanks for your comment, I also feel that this would cause a problem.

Just an update on the situation - I managed to track down the person who has actually bought the house to confirm that this was the case. The landlord had rang him in a panic to say that we would be going round to collect the washing machine and told the house owner that he would pay him for it! He is making out that the washing machine was his.

But we have also caught him out with something else - he owes us money for an almost new tumble dryer that we left behind... he has told the house holder that we took the tumble dryer with us - so what happened to it? I think he has taken it for himself so I am now going to file a Police report for theft (we still have proof of purchase for all items!).

DO NOT make the same mistake as we did - no matter how long you've known someone, they can still screw you over. Back up everything with contracts and signed agreements!