Advice on car keys being held during dispute

[JoP]

I am after some advice for a friend. He has been using his friends lock up to store his car for some time. He lost his job and told his friend he wouldn't be able to pay him a fee which was said to be ok at the time. The friend is now demanding he pay what he owes in full or he won't release the car keys to him. No paperwork was signed and it was just a verbal agreement between them. My friend has offered to pay in instalments, but this has been turned down, they want the payment in full. Can they legally do this? Police say its a civil matter and won't get involved. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[DontAsk]

They can do what they want. Your friend can sue of he doesn't like it.

 

[Chris Ashdown]

How much do you owe him and how long since your last payment

I understand that after a certain time any assets can be sold and any money over the dept can be returned to you. Not shore if they need a court order to do this maybe others can advise

 

[fisicx]

Why has the lockup owner got the car keys?

What is this fee that needs to be paid?

Why can't you help out your friend and pay the outstanding monies and get them to pay you back in installments?

 

[JoP]

They agreed he would pay £50 a month to keep the car there. Unfortunately I am not in a position to pay for him and get the money back in installments. But they have finally agreed to use his tools as collateral until he pays back in full. Thanks for the comments.

 

[Newchodge]

They agreed he would pay £50 a month to keep the car there. Unfortunately I am not in a position to pay for him and get the money back in installments. But they have finally agreed to use his tools as collateral until he pays back in full. Thanks for the comments.

Your freind would probably win in court, however it would cost.

 

[japancool]

How is this business related?

 

[Chris Ashdown]

How is this business related?

Holding onto a other persons assets on your property for unpaid bill

 

[ethical PR]

I am after some advice for a friend. He has been using his friends lock up to store his car for some time. He lost his job and told his friend he wouldn't be able to pay him a fee which was said to be ok at the time. The friend is now demanding he pay what he owes in full or he won't release the car keys to him. No paperwork was signed and it was just a verbal agreement between them. My friend has offered to pay in instalments, but this has been turned down, they want the payment in full. Can they legally do this? Police say its a civil matter and won't get involved. Any advice is appreciated.

Hopefully you and other friends and family members can loan your friend the money to pay his debt and he can get his car.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

It really winds me up when we dont get paid so I have no advice to offer as this in turn can have effect on other people

One of my creditors was in a car at a service station when I walked over to the him other day . He went off like he was on an F1 starting grid .

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

It really winds me up when we dont get paid so I have no advice to offer as this in turn can have effect on other people

One of my creditors was in a car at a service station when I walked over to the him other day . He went off like he was on an F1 starting grid .

This would be debtor not creditor

 

[eteb3]

This would be debtor not creditor

Was gonna say - if that's the fear you put into your creditors, I'm glad I'm not your debtor!

No paperwork was signed and it was just a verbal agreement between them.

As long as this was a business transaction not personal it sounds perfectly legal to me. In fact, a great example of English common law at work: nothing needs to be written, but basic common sense is enforceable if anyone wants to take it to court.

The iffy bit is how the owner came by the keys. If they weren't given over voluntarily, or if they weren't given expressly as security, owner probably had no right to keep them.

But, once the tools were put up as alternative security, voluntarily, that would seem to cure the problem: that bit is a completely valid transaction afaict.