When you tell this lady you're going to do something, you better follow through -- or else she may take you to court.
A woman in New Zealand sued her boyfriend for breaching a "verbal contract" after he failed to drive her to the airport and stay in her house with her dogs while she was away.
According to an order from the Disputes Tribunal, a small claims court in New Zealand, the woman says she incurred costs to travel the next day, for a shuttle to the airport and to put her dogs into a kennel because her boyfriend didn't follow through on his obligation. She also missed a concert she had arranged to attend with some friends.
The couple — identified as "CL" and "HG" — had been in a relationship for six-and-a-half years -- and broke up over this argument, according to the order. They had lived together for a few years, but were living in separate homes at the time because HG's son moved back in with him.
In reviewing the claims, tribunal referee Krysia Cowi said partners and friends make "social arrangements" all the time, but they're rarely enforceable by law unless "some act" is performed that "demonstrates an intention that they will be bound by their promises."
"When friends fail to keep their promises, the other person may suffer a financial consequence but it may be that they cannot be compensated for that loss," Cowi wrote. "There are many examples of friends who have let their friend down, however, the courts have maintained that it is a non-recoverable loss unless the promise went beyond being a favor between friends and become a promise that they intend to be bound by."
In this case, Cowi said the nature of the promises were exchanged as a "normal give and take in an intimate relationship."
"There is nothing that indicated an intention between the parties that HG
would be bound by the promises he made. The parties did not take any steps to show an intention to take the agreement out of a promise made between friends and to create legally binding consequences," Cowi added. "Although a promise was made, it falls short of being a contract."
The court dismissed the claim without awarding CL any damages.