Money been gifted dispute

[Mumofoneandanotherontheway]

Hi,
I have been gifted a sum of money In cash from my father In mid 2018. He basically got inheritance from a property abroad, he gave half to me after fees etc.

In 2019 we had a argument and he demanded that money back. I refused and we got back to talking terms, we have now had another disagreement where I don’t think I can talk to him any longer due to the stress he causes me on a daily basis. He’s partially disabled and has started a business which I don’t agree with as I know he’s unable to do this on his own.

He has now once again asked for the money back and I have refused and he has contacted a solicitor. He’s said he has told them I took advantage of his ill health and took the money from him (Also claiming more that he actually gave me), 100% not otherwise as the full amount of the property inheritance was given in my hand if I was that type of person I would have kept it all. He always said when he inheritance comes in he wants me to have half.

Where do I stand? I’m sick of it tbh. He split from my mum & was made homeless I took him in when he had nothing, looked after him for 6m until I was able to finally get him a council property. Never have I or would I say he should have paid while he stayed with us or all the expense I took on.

Thank you x

Ignore him.

Block and ignore.

Save any texts, emails and bank statements which show how much he gave you and what he said about it at the time.

Ask others in your family if they remember any discussions about the money and if so see if they’ll write down a witness statement confirming what they remember.

If the solicitor contacts you say that your father gave you x amount as a gift, of his own free will, and that you do not intend to return the gift. Keep it calm and factual.

If they sue you (unlikely) then the evidence you’ve kept will be helpful.

But otherwise block and ignore him.

Ignore him. Keep any solicitors letters you may get, but you are under no obligation to reply. In the unlikely event that you get a court summons, then you would need to respond.

While you’re not obliged to reply to solicitor letters, in general courts think you should. Judges will be better inclined towards you if you’ve behaved reasonably and politely, so a simple response stating your position looks better than just ignoring them while they waste time and money writing to you, trying different addresses etc.