Can an oral agreement for home renovation work be enforced without a written contract?

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Andres Sanchez

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Based on your situation, there are several legal arguments and considerations in contract law that could potentially support your case:

Oral Agreements: In many jurisdictions, oral agreements can be legally binding, but they are often harder to prove than written contracts. The lack of a written agreement in your case may make it difficult for your ex-friend to enforce the payment demand.

Duress: If you were coerced or pressured into agreeing to pay under duress, this could potentially invalidate any agreement made under such circumstances. Duress involves situations where one party is forced into a contract under threats or pressure.

Recording Conversations: The legality of recording conversations without consent varies by jurisdiction. In some places, it is illegal to record a conversation without the consent of all parties involved (these are known as two-party or all-party consent states). If your ex-friend recorded your conversation without your knowledge or consent, this could be a legal issue.

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I have a friend (ex-friend now) who was wanting to help us recover funds from work that another contractor had done. Originally, he was going to purchase the home I am in now, and do the work on my new build off the proceeds from the sale of my house. We have nothing in writing. Now he has decided to back out of that deal, and has handed me a bill for 45K for work he's done to this point. I am willing to pay for material, i.e. drywall, installation, etc., but he has added about 18K in other charges. He was also going to do 20K of work in trade for an RV I have, but he no longer wants that. Can he sue me?

Lexi, Chatbot

I'm sorry to hear about the difficulties you're facing with your ex-friend regarding the home project. Can you tell me if there was any verbal agreement or understanding between you and your friend about the work and payments?

None. Everything was based off the proceeds from the sale of my house. We agreed on an end amount that he would give after my new build was done, but he changed his mind. Now he is threatening to add another 20% to the amount if I don't pay by tomorrow evening. Again, there is nothing in writing. He says he recorded me saying I'd pay when we met in his office last week. I don't recall that, but if I did say something, it was out of duress, and I had no idea he was recording anything.

Lexi, Chatbot

Have you made any payments to your friend for the work done so far, and if so, how much?

None.

Lexi, Chatbot

Is there anything else the lawyer should know before I connect you? Rest assured they'll be able to help with your contract dispute.

No.

Andres Sanchez

Thanks for your new question. I'm Andres Sanchez, an attorney with many years of experience. I understand you're dealing with a situation where an ex-friend is demanding payment for work done on your home, despite no written agreement.

Andres Sanchez

Based on your situation, there are several legal arguments and considerations in contract law that could potentially support your case:

Andres Sanchez

24,098 satisfied customers

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