Money dispute

Elise101

Hi all,

I am just wondering, I have been in an ongoing legal dispute with a person whom owes me a substantial amount of money, €20,000 to be exact! Solicitors are involved on both behalf and this person made excuse after excuse and has dragged this on and prolonged it for some time, up until my solicitor had to threaten them with court, only now they are willing to agree to hand over the money, however, the last solicitors letter I received on behalf of them has in my opinion been blatant slanderous along with making libel statements against me to which I have solid proof is untrue and misleading.

I have approached my solicitor about the claims made against me however, my solicitor is under the theory and suggested that I should just take the money they owe and leave it at that without pursuing it any further with them as it will drag on and it will be an argument between each other in court.

To be honest one side of me is just glad it's coming to a conclusion but the other part of me is annoyed at the fact that this person could make such statements on paper through their solicitor claiming I threatened them and what not, and I feel like I'm just supposed to take it lying down, which I feel is an injustice in a way, because this person has got away with what they have done for so long I feel they should be answering to someone on their behaviour along with their lies considering I have proof that they are in fact lying. I also feel like I just want to clear my name with the lies they have told about me for simply requesting they hand over the money.

The reason I am asking is because I am wondering if anyone has been in a situation like this before and if so what did they do or how did they proceed, I just feel like my solicitor is kind of brushing this off with me as my solicitor is aware apart from the money owed to me I would be a person of meagre means and could I be right in saying the statements made are being brushed off because of this or is it a case that I don't really have a case to persue here because the statements where made through a solicitor??

Any info would be very much appreciated. Thanks

cnocbui

Take the €20k. Anything else will see you paying that, or more, in legal fees.

This is an opinion based on my having paid more than €20K in legal fees.

bobbyD1978

You are getting worked up and demanding legal action over the contents of a private letter sent under legal privilege which was without doubt merely repeating their clients beliefs.

Ffs, build a bridge with your 20k

Kurooi

What resolution are you expecting?

Gusser09

Take your 20K and let everyone and anyone know the hassle you had with this person. Ireland is a small enough country and I'd destroy their name.

I know somebody who paid someone else’s very serious drug debt out of his deposit he had saved for a house. Never got it back even though person has given up the drug habit and thriving now. Needless to say the friendship ended at that and he got neither his money back nor thanks for his sacrifice.

I loaned money to a somewhat smaller tune, very slow to be paid back and only concerted pressure ensured I got it simply because there was an alcohol dependence issue there that was always going to absorb the money and which for some considerable time got in the way of earning too. The individual didn’t take kindly to the pressure, but at least paid it all back, but of course not a word of thanks and all resulted in bad feeling all around even though I was initially generous, decent and helpful in all respects.

One principal I’ve learned is never ever loan money to people who are not your own immediate beloved family , or somebody you know will pay you back within a very short space of time, ie next pay check. For practicality sake I have since paid modest expenses for others and got it back two days later.

And be very careful who you go into any kind of business venture with.

If a person has stopped engaging in repayment, has cut off all communication, it does require a degree of pressure to ensure YOU are the next payment priority, and nobody likes this. What are you supposed to do? Stand back like a fool? OP’s acquaintance/friend is likely interpreting requests for repayment as pressure and decided to turn the stakes around as a form of revenge. In the end my advice is take the money and run.

Peregrinus

If they are making derogatory statements about you to you, that is not defamation and you have no remedy. There would only be a question of defamation if they were making these statements to third parties, and if your reputation was being damaged as a result.

Keep your eye on the ball here. You want your €20,000 back. Everything else is secondary until that is achieved. Do not get distracted or sidetracked.

Uncle Pierre

Good advice as always by Peregrinus above.

I was about to post myself that such statements don't constitute defamation or slander if they haven't been made in public and haven't had a tangible effect on your reputation.

endofrainbow

Wait til the cheque clears and move on.

Elise101

Thanks all for the replies it's much appreciated, at least I know now myself that really I can't pursue anything In the lines of defamation because the person wrote it through their solicitor, it explains alot. I just wanted to know because it was bothering me knowing that this person who was actually in the wrong not only prolonged and delayed giving it back for nearly a year but then made absurd accusations on paper against me, in a way my pride kind of got in the way here and I just wanted to Set the record straight more then anything else, I wasn't after compensation from them, it was a simple apology and admitting they were in the wrong, but it's clear to me now that that will never be the case here, so il do just that, get the money owed back and let them be!!!! Thanks again for all the replies.

Elise101

Thanks again for advice

Elise101

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121969630#Comment_121969630

Thanks for the reply and clearing the issue on whether it was defamatory or not when written to me through their solicitor. Your right I am very much worked up over what I read, the lies and accusations proclaimed from a person who basically conned 20k from me and then fell out with me over simply asking them to pay it back, this person Is well and truly in a financial position where they can pay back the money in full straight away, but instead chose to prolong and delay it by making petty excuses for over a year after I had tried my level best to resolve it without the need for legal action involved! I think it's only natural to get worked up over something like that, I am sure if you received such a degrading letter you probably would feel the same, I don't know maybe not? But your definitely right I will build a bridge as soon as they hand it over and if they ever step foot on that bridge again after all they have done to me il be very inclined to throw them clean off it! Thanks again