Example scenario
Lent a friend $12,000. Now he says it was a gift
A man in North York sent a long-time friend $12,000 by e-transfer over three months to help with a business. When he asked for it back, the friend said it was a gift and blocked his number.
How we would handle it
We would build the claim from the e-transfer records and every message where the friend talked about “paying you back”, send a demand letter, and file a claim for the full amount plus interest.
The law: When money is handed over and nothing is given in return, the law generally does not presume a gift. The person who received the money has to prove it was one.
Example scenario
Contractor took a $14,000 deposit and disappeared
A homeowner in Richmond Hill paid a $14,000 deposit for a basement renovation. The contractor tore out the drywall, stopped answering calls after two weeks and never came back.
How we would handle it
We would claim the deposit, less the value of any work done, plus the extra cost of hiring a second contractor, supported by the contract, the payment records, the texts, dated photos and a written quote to finish the job.
The law: A party who breaks a contract owes what it takes to put you where you would have been if the work had been done. The claim must start within two years of the day you knew about the loss.
Example scenario
Let go after 6 years with only two weeks’ pay
A warehouse supervisor in Vaughan was terminated without cause after six years and offered the two weeks’ pay required by the Employment Standards Act, in exchange for signing a release.
How we would handle it
We would review the employment contract’s termination clause, tell the employee not to sign yet, and claim reasonable notice in Small Claims Court, which can now award up to $50,000.
The law: Unless a valid contract limits it, employees fired without cause are often owed far more than the legal minimum, based on age, role, years of service and how hard the job will be to replace.
Example scenario
A client owes a small business $22,500
A cleaning company in North York finished four months of commercial cleaning and was owed $22,500 across nine invoices. The client kept promising payment, then stopped replying.
How we would handle it
We would file a claim for the invoices plus interest. If the client doesn’t defend within 20 days of service, we ask for default judgment and move straight to enforcement, such as garnishing the client’s bank account.
The law: An undefended claim for a fixed debt can be turned into a judgment without a trial.
Example scenario
Sued for $35,000 over a deck built three years ago
A self-employed carpenter in Markham was served with a $35,000 claim from a former customer about a deck he built and was paid for more than three years earlier.
How we would handle it
We would file a defence within 20 days that raises the two-year limitation period, backed by dated invoices and the customer’s first complaint, and ask the court to dismiss the claim.
The law: Most claims in Ontario must start within two years of when the problem was discovered. A claim started too late can be dismissed no matter what it alleges.
Example scenario
Bought a used car with hidden accident damage
A buyer in Mississauga paid $9,800 for a car on an online marketplace after the seller said it had never been in an accident. A mechanic later found frame repairs.
How we would handle it
We would claim for misrepresentation using the listing, the messages, the mechanic’s report and a vehicle history report, and ask for the cost of repairs or the loss in value.
The law: A seller who makes a false statement that leads you to buy can be liable for your loss, even in a private sale.