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Are you serious? (Long rant)
Sorry in advance, just need to rant. This is crazy, promise it's not MUD!
I spent Easter with BF's family this year. They are awesome! It's the first time I met a lot of them, and we bonded really well. There are three aunt's in the picture (A, B, and C). We had the party at Aunt A's house, and Aunt B was there. Aunt C was "too sick" to show up. I put that in quotations because everyone there was calling it horse shyt. So, Uncle A has this old beat up BMW that needs about $2k of work done to it. He wants to get rid of it, so BF offers to buy it. Uncle A says he can have it free since it needed so much work. I front him the cash for the repairs. We leave with it. I started talking about how I'd love driving it, bla blah. So bf says, since I gave him the money, he'd fix it free (minus parts), and I could just keep it if I wanted. I agreed - so now I have a nice running/looking car for $3k.
Here's where things get sticky. Aunt C & Uncle C loaned BF money when he was 17. This was six years ago. BF worked for Uncle C for two years (summers) to pay back the money he borrowed. BF has always been great about paying people back, so I'm inclined to believe him. He claims he paid back all of the money by the end of the 2nd summer. Uncle C all of a sudden, crawling from the woodwork, says BF owes him 50% interest since he gave BF the money, plus the original $2k. WTF! First of all, I'm pretty sure 50% interest for a 17 y/o is extortion. Now, Uncle C has Aunt C call and threaten BF. The convo basically went like this, "BF, you need to fix up the BMW Uncle A just gave you, pay for all of the parts, do the labor, and give it to us. Or it's going to get really ugly."
Well I immediately got pissed off since the car is MINE. The title is in my name AND I paid for it. I can't believe they had the nerve to do that. Some people are just worms.
Really sorry if this was incredibly confusing. Just ranting! Can't believe how F'd up family can be.
Re: Are you serious? (Long rant)
FET - transferred two embryos (boy and girl) - Nov 2014 - BFP!
Does Uncle C have any record of this loan and the interest that would have had to be paid on it when he gave the money?
Does BF have record that he worked for uncle C for 2 summers for free?
Pretty sure your BF is in the clear and he should tell Uncle C to buy his own car and stop using his family.
If the title is in your name, I would not give it up. Tell your BF to find another way to pay back his aunt and uncle.
I have a feeling that Uncle A would never have "given" Uncle C the car for free.
If I were adviding your bf, I would suggest he cut them out of his life. Seriously.
There are no records of the original loan. I don't know if there would be any records for BF working 2 summers free. I haven't asked. I think he's in the clear too. It's just ridiculous that the whole thing with Uncle C ever happened.
I'm definitely staying out of it. Just ranting.
Don't give up the car.
If I was your BF, I would tell Uncle C to make things ugly then.
A 17 year old is legally incompetent to enter into a contract. BF should tell Uncle C that. Plus, it doesn't sound like it was a written contract anyway. And you don't get to loan someone money and then retroactively impose an interest rate on it 6 years later.
I'd cut off contact completely with Uncle and Aunt C. They sound like lunatics.
I agree that you should keep out of this, however, if DH were in a similar situation and I were advising him, I would tell him to go back to aunt and uncle and say "I'm confused about your request for the car to "pay back my loan." I realize I borrowed $3,000 from you in 2003, but it was my understanding that by working for you during the summers of 2004 and 2005 I would be repaying the loan. I believe I have paid back the loan under the terms that we agreed upon. Why are you coming to me now with these demands?"
Honorable people pay back their debts, even if they were "only 17" when they made the agreement. However, I am assuming that your BF did pay them back through his work, and he needs to go to his uncle and aunt and tell them that he did pay them back, and he won't cave into any more demands that they make.
I think the above is absolutely the right way for your BF to close the book on the issue. It is mature, direct and specific.
You seem to be implying (in sharing how the remainder of the family viewed Aunt/Uncle C's absence from the gathering) that this is nothing new or surprising from the couple. The two of you just need to take it as that, don't waste energy worrying or even being offended. If anything, BF might feel badly that they settled into that rut with him (it sounded as if once upon a time they were helpful towards him and treated him like family). Which is why I think SueBear's solution is proper. They don't have to agree, and likely it will not be a solution that ends with all parties feeling wonderful and satisfied...but sometimes the right thing doesn't feel good and isn't pleasant. He doesn't need to address every rabbit trail they present (IOW, he doesn't need to respond or allow the demands involving the car to be part of the discussion...it is purely on did he or did he not honor his verbal or moral contract with the Aunt/Uncle during his youthful summer job. Was it clearly understood that it was a loan rather than a gift, was it clearly understood that he was working to pay off debt versus he was thanking them for their generosity in helping out and when the money came in it would be repaid. Beyond those "branches" of discussion, he doesn't need to address a thing.
The written contract, under 17 thing, etc. is all in the event they try to make things ugly. BF shouldn't cave in to their threats because they likely wouldn't prevail even if they tried.
If BF still owes them the money, then he should pay it back. But it sounded like he had paid the debt years ago, and they're just trying to take advantage of him to get something they want.
Also, if he worked for free in order to pay down the debt, he could tell them he'd file a counterclaim for back pay for 2 summer's worth of free labor...plus interest, of course.