Two years ago, 20 acres was rented in California for row crops. no contract was signed, just a verbal agreement. Land was not very productive and no money was available to pay the rent from the crop. This was my property that was rented out. The renter has no money to pay on the rent he claims. Do I have any recourse to get my money, or was it a mistake not having a contract?
Verbal contracts DO stand up in court but they are hard to prove. perhaps you have written reciepts from the person who rented it buying equipment, feed, etc to prove that they were using the property for their own. or maybe you have witnesses that can testify that they know that the person rented it.
My advice would be to take them to court, but yes it was a mistake to not sign a contract. Don't dwell on the fact that you didn't.Hindsight is 20/20.
It's always nice to be able to trust someone with a hand shake although it's not done much anymore but going to court is really not going to help either one of you, no money and where is he going to get it, no crops for selling and just going to dig the hole deeper. You aren't going to get ahead and neither is he, yes you should have had a contract and it would have been more binding, believe me, you are not the only one that has gone through this.
