In May 2007, I moved out of my former mother in law's house, I had lived there since August of 2006. She and I had a verbal agreement for me to pay approximately $800 per month in rent. Due to my divorce from her daughter and trying pay off her daughters bills, I was unable to pay rent and bounced one check to her in April. My former mother in law in April of 2007 stated that I did not need to pay her back since I was still taking care of my ex-wife/ her daughter's bills and mortgage.

Her daughter was arrested in November for domestic violence battery and cruelty to children for striking me in front of our children and now my former mother in law has sent me a certified letter stating she wants repayment of the 10 months of rent. I received her letter this week which states she wants all approximately $9,000 by the end of January. I never signed a lease or had my name on any bill at the residence.

I believe I have an e-mail where she states that I do not have to re-pay her, but what if my IT guy can't find it? I live in Georgia, how should I handle this with or without her e-mail?

Try to retrieve the e-mail in question. Other than that, don't do anything until and if she attempts to take legal action against you to collect. If she does, simply go to court and state that you had a verbal agreement and deny that you owe her anything.

Hello:

I agree with cianci. When the judge finds out that she did NOTHING to collect her rent for 10 months, he's going to believe you had some other agreement.

Plus, there's a notion in the law, that when a persons rights are being violated, and he does NOTHING about it, he foregoes his rights. Its got some fancy Latin name, but I don't remember what it is.

excon