Rosie,
Based on what I've read, he does owe you that money. Yet, he knows he doesn't have to pay it. There's no written contract, no verbal agreement, or anything of that matter. Also, there's no way to prove that HE used that electricity. Anyway, I'd take it as a life lesson, and next time have some time of written agreement. He's the dumb one anyway, he's basically ending a family relationship over this. It really doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I wouldn't keep fighting him for the money though, because it's really no use. Good luck!

I just checked up on this post. He never paid us the money and he never spoke to us after that. We all finally came to good terms on Thanksgiving.

Hes still a user and a jerk, but at least hes no longer around me

I have a sister in law like this...she is a constant user. When I was pregnant she got into trouble drunk driving and got arrested. She called me and begged me at 4am to bail her out. I brought my pregnant behind to the precinct at 4am and bailed her out. It cost us $500 to do that. She promised she would pay it back...months went by and she didnt. She got her tax money and she took us out to dinner but that was it. We were having a baby and needed the money badly and gave it with the thought that we would get it back. So finally we needed her, our car broke down in a town where she has a friend who has a shop so we called her and asked if she could call him and have him tow it to his shop and fix it while we wait. We didn't get much of a discount, he gave us $50 off because he said he wanted to give us that because she was family...so when we finally months down the line confronted her about the money she said that we were even because she helped us get our car towed and a discount on the repair. In all honesty I would have rather paid someone else the money and saed the $50 if it meant I would get my money back but I know that she was only using this as an excuse.

Since all of this has happened she has lost her license and depends on public transportation or others to drive her around, for a while my husband was doing it behind my back because she now knows that she will never get a cent from me or any favors. My husband finally got fed up because she started to expect us to take her places and didn't even offer gas money, so we are now at a point where we say hello and spend holidays together and we are civil but she will never get anything from us, not even a ride home...it's just the way it has to be and it's sad because it's family but she has burnt her bridges and we refuse to be the ones she abuses.

You just have to write it off and just remember that he will need you again and when he does you won't be able to help him even if you can you can't do it.