Widower Sues Ex-Girlfriend for $191,000 Apartment Payment

A 63-year-old widower from Ho Chi Minh City has sued his 48-year-old ex-girlfriend from Hanoi, demanding the return of approximately $191,000 (VND5 billion) he paid for an apartment. The man, identified as Tuan, met Thuong in 2019 after his wife's death. Their relationship became public in November 2019 with a traditional ceremony, though they never legally registered their marriage. Tuan claims he entrusted Thuong with managing his entire salary and that she suggested buying a three-bedroom apartment in Hanoi's My Dinh area in late 2020. He transferred about VND5.5 billion in total, believing it was for their shared home. The 94 sq.m apartment was purchased in December 2020 for VND5.2 billion, with an additional VND350 million for interiors. Tuan stated Thuong explained the title would be solely in her name due to their unmarried status, but verbally agreed to add his name later. After retiring in 2021, Tuan moved into the apartment with Thuong and her three children. However, he ended the relationship in June 2022, citing mounting disagreements and his discovery that Thuong's business ventures were not as she described. A major conflict arose when Thuong proposed selling Tuan's house in HCMC to buy a car and mortgage the apartment for a bank loan, which Tuan refused. Thuong disputes Tuan's claim, arguing that none of his transfers explicitly mentioned the apartment. She contends the apartment was financed not only by Tuan's money but also by her savings and proceeds from selling her own apartment and car. Her bank statements show significant incoming transfers exceeding VND10 billion in 2020, independent of Tuan's contributions. She also questioned why she would need to borrow against her property if Tuan's money had fully covered the purchase. The court ruled that Tuan had transferred money out of trust for their planned life together. It ordered Thuong to repay Tuan VND4.2 billion (approximately $110,000), after accounting for agreed expenses and Thuong's personal spending during their cohabitation, and deducting Thuong's contributions. The case highlights the legal and social complexities surrounding financial arrangements and property ownership between unmarried couples in Vietnam.