To expect them still to pay?

[BananaLeaf]

Last year we emigrated to another country. It was always the plan to sell our 12 year old car when we left. A while before we left SILs car was written off and she asked about buying ours as they are maxed out doing a huge renovation on their house and couldn’t afford to borrow any more for the sort of car they would want.

I told her the price I wanted and didn’t hear back. I had a bad feeling about dealing with family anyway so I messaged and said I think I’ll just get rid of it as I would hate anything to go wrong with it after we left.

She said she please don’t get rid of it could she please have it...but couldn't pay for it right now. I said no problem take your time to pay for it, trusting that would happen regardless.

Anyway 6 months later she messages DH and says it’s failed MOT and will cost almost the agreed cost of the car to fix it. Long story short she has now sold it on and made an executive decision to pay us about 60% of the original amount, justifying it by saying in her opinion we never would have got original amount anyway.

It’s not just the money, I feel completely let down and taken advantage of. I would never do that to someone. If I agreed to pay for something I would pay it no matter what, especially if it was family. If I had known we would still be held responsible for the state of the car after they took possession I never would have sold it to them!

I could have sold it to someone else and got the full cash amount straight away. I knew it was a mistake but felt under pressure to go ahead with it as they had limited options and I was happy to do her a favour, but now we are out of pocket.

Obviously it is bad that the car didn’t pass mot but I had raised that as a concern and it was their decision to proceed so the assumption was that they would take on the risk. Tbh I would have said to pay a reduced amount anyway after hearing about the MOT, but the unilateral decision not pay the loan in full is really disappointing.

AIBU to think they should still pay the agreed price or at least offer?

[Bluntness100]

Where does the op quote the car value?

[Waveysnail]

So the car was a lemming and you wanted to sell it to an unsuspecting buyer. Hmm. Sounds like sil did you a favour. Sold the car honestly and gave you the money.

[LittleChristmasMouse]

How do you know the car was a lemon when the OP sold it? It might have been in great condition for a 12 year old car and the SIL drove it like the Stig and burnt the clutch out?

[Flockingflamingo]

Is everyone missing that the sil got 6 months use out of the car?!

[NorthernRunner]

Flocking- for free!

I’m shocked that there are so many posters who would appear to let this slide. I think the SIL has behaved appallingly

[NorthernRunner]

Not forgetting that the OP said her SIL didn’t consult them until after she sold it...that’s wrong.

[bridgetreilly]

SIL is totally a CF here. The question is whether the actual amount of money is worth making a stand over in the context of family relationships. OP is the only one (with her DH) who can make that judgment.

[Binglebong]

I'm curious - if SIL had crashed the car on the way home should she have paid nothing? It's the same thing, just a matter of degrees.

[howabout]

Binglebong if SiL had crashed the car the insurance would have paid out. It is not the same at all. Also not the same as hiring a car for 6 months where you are guaranteed a functioning car with no strings or additional costs.

[Chocolateisfab]

Memo to self op.
If she comes to stay direct her to local hostelry.
Do not treat her as a guest.
She is a cf...

[Hereward1332]

If she sold the car for £1k more than she agreedto pay you, would she be giving you the profit?