Family Battles For Pensioner's £650,000 Home After He Gifts It To Ukrainian Waitress

The family of an 82-year-old "reclusive" pensioner is fighting to reclaim his £650,000 home after he gifted it to a Ukrainian waitress he had befriended at a café.

Richard Joy, who never married or had children, met Mariia Romanyshyn, 38, in 2011 during his regular visits to the Upper Crust café in Harrow. Two years before his death in May 2018, Mrs. Romanyshyn claims he handed her the deeds to his home, telling her: "The house is yours. I want you to keep the house." She moved in with her husband and daughters, who she says regarded Mr. Joy as a "grandfatherly figure."

Now, Mr. Joy's cousin and estate executor, Martin Larney, is suing Mrs. Romanyshyn to reclaim the property, arguing that Mr. Joy was too mentally frail to fully understand his actions when gifting the house.

Described by his family as a "recluse," Mr. Joy spent most of his time at the library or working on his collection of rare coins, medals, and militaria. He had made a will in 2011 stating that his estate, including the house, would be shared between Mr. Larney, Mr. Larney's mother Doreen, and a friend.

Mrs. Romanyshyn, now a trainee beautician, is fighting the claim, insisting Mr. Joy was mentally sharp. Her barrister, Lynne Counsell, told Central London County Court that there was no medical evidence of dementia, and Mr. Joy had been capable of following complex TV plots like Sherlock and playing chess with her daughter. She also argued that their friendship had developed into a familial bond, with Mrs. Romanyshyn supporting Mr. Joy after a hospital stay, helping with shopping and daily tasks.

However, Mr. Larney's barrister, Andrew Nicklin, described Mr. Joy as "vulnerable with apparent cognitive impairment" and dependent on Mrs. Romanyshyn for daily life, including shopping, cooking, and medical appointments.

Ms. Larney, who stands to inherit part of the house if the legal challenge succeeds, claimed her cousin spent money freely, as "it had no value for him." She said she and her husband attempted to stay in touch but lost contact in 2012 after being unable to reach him by phone.

The judge's ruling on the case is expected at a later date.

Whitestone Solicitors