My father gave me a house full of furniture over 12 months ago and is now wanting it back... I offered to return all furniture on the receipt of his invoices for money I aparantly owed his business. I haven't heard from my father since before the email offering return of furniture. Do I have to return it now or am I the legal owner as he has made no effort to reply to my offer.

Under what premis did you receive the furniture?

If he gave it to you - your word - it is yours and he cannot demand it back. A gift is a gift.

If this was a gift conditioned upon something else (paying a loan, for example) then it's not a gift.

Need more info -

The furniture was given to me as a gift... he basically said to me that here is the furniture... it will give u a good start... its yours.

Then it's a gift - if it comes down to it he could sue you, a Judge would hear both sides and decide which is more believable.

Does he own the furniture store ? Or does he work at one.

How did he get the furniture to give to you ?

Is he in trouble for "getting" it to give to you ?

As noted it is a gift if he gave it to you, I am at a loss, if he gave you so much, why now are you only talking though emails?? And why are you asking for reciepts ?

Something strange to me, when you call him on the phone and ask him why, what did he say?

He doesn't own his own furniture shop nor does he work in one... he gave me a house full of furniture because I was/am a single parent and he moved in with his girlfriend. He told me he would never use it again so he gave it to me... I lived in his house with the furniture for about 2 years and when I moved I used his business truck to transport it from the house I was living in with the furniture to my new unit with his full consent... we started arguing around 12 months ago and I cut the contact with my father... there is a lot of personal stuff behind this reasoning which I would not like to state... was just wanting to know, if it was given to me as a gift can he take it back after me having it for ova 12 months...

A gift can NEVER be legally taken back - next the same day, not the next day, not ever.

Thanks everyone for your opinions and advice... has eased my mind a little!!