• FreeAdvice has a new Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, effective May 25, 2018.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our Terms of Service and use of cookies.

Buyer never picked it up

Accident - Bankruptcy - Criminal Law / DUI - Business - Consumer - Employment - Family - Immigration - Real Estate - Tax - Traffic - Wills   Please click a topic or scroll down for more.

TheBird

Junior Member
What is the name of your state?Five years ago, we sold a motorcycle on eBay. I can't remember the exact terms of the sale but it was something like, pick up and pay within a week. We are in California, buyer was in Texas, said he
would be visiting friends in California in a few asked if he paid immediately, would we hold it for him. We had no problem with it, he paid and then he gave us the run around with it for months. He couldn't get out to see his friends etc etc. Months later, he emailed and said "Keep the money, I can't make it out there"

He emailed us this morning! FIVE YEARS later. "I finally found your email! What is the status on my motorcycle?" Are we still legally obligated with this??? :confused:
 


S

seniorjudge

Guest
TheBird said:
What is the name of your state?Five years ago, we sold a motorcycle on eBay. I can't remember the exact terms of the sale but it was something like, pick up and pay within a week. We are in California, buyer was in Texas, said he
would be visiting friends in California in a few asked if he paid immediately, would we hold it for him. We had no problem with it, he paid and then he gave us the run around with it for months. He couldn't get out to see his friends etc etc. Months later, he emailed and said "Keep the money, I can't make it out there"

He emailed us this morning! FIVE YEARS later. "I finally found your email! What is the status on my motorcycle?" Are we still legally obligated with this??? :confused:
Correct me if I am wrong: You have had another guy's motorcycle for five years and now he wants it. Is there any problem with giving it to him?
 
Y

ylen13

Guest
You stored it for 5 years; I would think charging for storage fee would be reasonable.

edit:nevermind poster no longer has the bike.
 
Last edited:

TheBird

Junior Member
My simple question is are we still obligated to give him back his $500.00 or not? The motorcycle was not sold. We moved 3 years later and could not keep it any longer.
 
S

seniorjudge

Guest
TheBird said:
My simple question is are we still obligated to give him back his $500.00 or not? The motorcycle was not sold. We moved 3 years later and could not keep it any longer.
Yes, give him his money back.
 

Dandy Don

Senior Member
If you have kept a copy of the e-mail in which he said "Keep the money", then you don't need to give him his money back. Otherwise, it would be the right thing to do if you don't have a copy of the e-mail, since you would be unable to prove your side if this case went to court.
 

You Are Guilty

Senior Member
Dandy Don said:
If you have kept a copy of the e-mail in which he said "Keep the money", then you don't need to give him his money back. Otherwise, it would be the right thing to do if you don't have a copy of the e-mail, since you would be unable to prove your side if this case went to court.
Just to play devil's advicate for a second:

How would the buyer otherwise explain the FIVE FREAKING YEARS it took for him to even inquire (much less, attempt to pick up) the motorcycle, if he didn't tell the seller to "keep the money"? What other logical answer is there?
 

TheBird

Junior Member
He paid through paypal. He would have taken up a case with paypal 5 years ago if he never said to keep the money. In fact, that is EXACTLY how he has made contact with me now. FIVE years later.

I do not have a copy of that email unfortunately, I used AOL at that time and now have DSL.
 

TheBird

Junior Member
SeniorJudge - Criminal liabilty? :eek: What did I do wrong? He bid on my item, and then decided that his buyer's regret cost him $500.00 . He had my then address, phone number, paypal ID, ebay ID. My address and phone number were valid for 3 years after that ebay auction. My paypal account has remained the same for the last 5 years.
 
S

seniorjudge

Guest
TheBird said:
SeniorJudge - Criminal liabilty? :eek: What did I do wrong? He bid on my item, and then decided that his buyer's regret cost him $500.00 . He had my then address, phone number, paypal ID, ebay ID. My address and phone number were valid for 3 years after that ebay auction. My paypal account has remained the same for the last 5 years.
I believe that giving away another person's property is frowned upon in some circles in California.
 

TheBird

Junior Member
I didn't give it away. I moved and could not take the bike with me. I listed the bike and the work that it needed. It's not as if I could ride the bike to my new house, it wasn't in condition to safely drive not to mention I don't know how to ride a motorcycle! 3 years after he told me to keep the money, I left it in the garage of my old house.
 

Find the Right Lawyer for Your Legal Issue!

Fast, Free, and Confidential
data-ad-format="auto">
Top