Beijing court orders son to return $510,000 to mother for house purchase

In a recent ruling, a Beijing court has directed a man to reimburse his mother a substantial sum of 3,700,000 yuan ($510,000) that she had provided to facilitate his house purchase.

The decision was conveyed by the Dongcheng District People's Court of Beijing via its official WeChat account on Monday.

The court emphasized the importance of acknowledging parental financial support as more than mere gifts, urging children to recognize the responsibilities associated with such assistance.

The legal dispute traces back to 2017 when the plaintiff, identified as Yang, owned a property located in Beijing's Dongcheng district. With plans to secure a larger residence for future cohabitation with her son's family, Yang sold her existing house and acquired a more spacious one.

Regrettably, conflicts ensued between Yang and her daughter-in-law, leading to the couple's relocation and a subsequent estrangement from Yang's son in 2019.

Following a period of over three years marked by minimal interaction, Yang received messages indirectly from her son through other family members. These communications conveyed her son's wishes for her to vacate the house on the grounds that it was registered under his name.

In 2022, Yang's son initiated contact with his grandmother via WeChat, proposing three potential solutions. One option entailed selling the present property and reimbursing Yang with the proceeds, while the couple sought an alternative dwelling. Alternatively, he hinted at the possibility of taking legal action against Yang.

Concerned about the impending financial uncertainty, Yang resorted to litigation, seeking the restitution of the funds she had contributed to secure her future wellbeing.

During the legal proceedings, contrasting narratives emerged regarding the intent behind the financial transaction. Yang regarded the money as a loan extended to her son, rather than an outright gift. Conversely, her son maintained the opposite stance, asserting that the funds were bestowed upon him without strings attached.

After a thorough examination of the evidence, the Dongcheng District People's Court of Beijing dismissed any conclusive proof substantiating the funds as a gift to Yang's son.

Instead, the court found greater weight in the perspective that the money represented a loan, particularly due to her son's message suggesting its reimbursement after liquidating the current property. As a result, the court ruled in favor of Yang, determining that the funds were indeed provided as a loan, and consequently mandating her son's restitution of the amount.