You lent a friend money and now they've blocked you You can still ask the court to step in
No written contract, no answer to your texts, and it's been going on for months or even years. That doesn't mean the money's gone. If you can show what you sent and when, you can usually take this to the small claims court — and you don't need a signed agreement to start.
Courts may award simple interest on money you are owed — commonly 8% a year under the County Courts Act 1984, at the court's discretion rather than automatically — usually running from the date the money fell due. Court fees are typically added to a successful claim.
Eleven people came to us with almost exactly this story. Not one paid to take it further, so we can't tell you how theirs ended — but the pattern in what they described might sound familiar.
The sorts of things people tell us about this kind of dispute. 11 cases like it have come to us.
Your legal rights where someone doesn't pay you back
Money lent between people is enforceable like any other agreement — and where a contract is hard to prove, the law of restitution often provides a second route. These are the provisions and principles that usually decide these cases; tap any one to see how it tends to apply.
Case lawContract law — a loan doesn't need to be writtenAn agreement can be spoken, if the terms are clear enough and both meant it to bind.
A simple contract generally needs an offer, acceptance, something given in return, terms certain enough to enforce, and an intention to create legal relations. That last element matters most in family cases: arrangements between relatives are sometimes presumed to be domestic rather than legal, so evidence that repayment was genuinely expected — a stated date, a reference on the transfer, chasing messages — does real work. In practice these cases usually turn on evidence rather than paperwork.
Case lawLoan or gift — where the argument usually landsThe most common defence, and what tends to answer it.
Because a gift can't be reclaimed, borrowers often say the money was one. Courts look at all the circumstances — what was said at the time, what happened since. A reference on a transfer, an "I'll pay you back next month" message, or a first instalment are typically strong evidence of a loan, though the court weighs everything together. Where money passed on a basis that then failed entirely, the law of unjust enrichment can sometimes offer a separate route.
Case lawUnjust enrichment — money had and receivedA separate claim: they have your money and there's no proper basis for keeping it.
Where someone has been enriched at your expense and there's no legal basis for them to keep the money, the law of unjust enrichment can require them to pay it back — historically pleaded as an action for money had and received. It typically matters when a contract is hard to prove, when money was paid over on a basis that never materialised (the classic failure of basis), or where funds were transferred by mistake. In practice it is often run as an alternative alongside a contract claim rather than instead of one.
Case lawResulting and constructive trustsWhere money was handed over for one specific purpose that then failed.
Where money is advanced for a particular purpose and that purpose fails — the deposit that never bought the car, the funds for a property share that never happened — the courts can in some circumstances treat it as held on trust for you rather than as a simple debt (the Quistclose line of cases). A constructive trust can also arise where someone holds property or funds it would be unconscionable for them to keep as their own. These routes are fact-sensitive and won't fit every loan, but they can matter where the recipient has little money left or the funds are traceable into something they bought.
ActLimitation Act 1980, ss.5, 29–30Six years for simple contracts — and what can start the clock again.
Under s.5 the period for a simple contract claim is generally six years, normally running from the date repayment fell due rather than the date you lent the money. Sections 29–30 deal with fresh accrual: a part-payment, or an acknowledgement of the debt that is in writing and signed by the debtor, can start the six years again. Not every casual message will qualify, but a written admission can matter a great deal.
Read it on legislation.gov.uk ↗ActCounty Courts Act 1984, s.69Courts may add interest to a debt — commonly 8% a year.
Where your agreement doesn't set its own rate, claimants can normally ask the court for statutory interest on the amount owed, calculated from when it fell due. On a long-unpaid loan this can add a meaningful sum, and it's set out in the claim rather than left for you to argue.
Read it on legislation.gov.uk ↗ActCivil Procedure Rules, Parts 6 and 12How papers are served — and what happens if they're ignored.
Part 6 governs service: a claim is normally served by post to the defendant's usual or last known residence, which is why blocking your number generally changes nothing. Part 12 covers judgment in default — where a properly served defendant files nothing within the time limits, the court can usually decide the claim without them.
General information about the law of England and Wales, not advice on your case. Which provisions actually apply depends on your facts.
What people usually hear, and what's actually true
A written contract helps but courts deal with informal loans between friends all the time. Bank transfers, texts agreeing to pay it back, or even a message saying "I'll sort you out" can count as evidence of the arrangement.
For most personal loans you usually have up to six years to bring a claim in England and Wales. Two years of chasing and being ignored doesn't usually close that door.
Being blocked on WhatsApp or Facebook doesn't stop a claim. Court paperwork is served through the court, often to a home or work address, not through social media.
Whether they've spent the money doesn't usually change whether it's owed. A court judgment is about the debt existing, not about what's left in their account — enforcement is a separate, later step.
Three steps, no solicitor
Your side, your words
What happened, what was agreed, what you are out of pocket. We ask what a court would ask.
A formal demand
A letter before action with a deadline, setting out what is owed and why. Many disputes end here.
Court claim, prepared
If they will not engage: a small claim drafted, checked and filed. We do the paperwork; the decision is the court’s.
What JustClaim is: we prepare and file the paperwork for your claim, for a fixed price shown before you pay. We're not a law firm, this isn't legal advice, and no outcome is ever guaranteed — what you get is the strongest honest version of your case, properly made.
Questions people in this exact spot ask
Can I sue a friend for money I lent them?
Usually, yes. A personal loan is a debt whether it's between friends, family, or strangers. What matters is showing money changed hands and that it was a loan, not a gift — bank transfers and messages about repayment both help with that.
What if we never wrote anything down?
A lot of loans between friends are agreed over text or even just verbally. Courts do accept these but a written agreement makes things clearer, so if you have any messages, screenshots, or bank references, keep hold of them.
They've blocked me on everything, how do I even start a claim?
You don't need to contact them yourself to start court paperwork. The court sends the claim to a known address, so being blocked on messaging apps or social media doesn't usually stop the process.
How long do I have to claim back an unpaid personal loan?
For most informal loans in England and Wales, the usual limit is six years from when the money was due back. A two-year delay on your side is unlikely on its own to be a problem.
What if they say the money was a gift, not a loan?
This is a common dispute. It usually comes down to evidence — a text saying "I'll pay you back" or "lent" rather than "given" can matter a lot, so it's worth gathering anything like that before you go further.
Is it worth pursuing a few thousand pounds through a friend?
That's a personal decision as much as a legal one. Some people decide the amount and the principle both matter enough to pursue; others let it go. There's no right answer, but knowing your options can make the decision easier.
Still have the bank transfer or the texts?
That's often enough to get started. We'll help you put together what you have into paperwork the court will actually accept — no jargon, no guesswork about deadlines.
Claim what you're owed →