A Ukrainian waitress who was left a £650,000 home by an eccentric ‘recluse' she befriended at his local café says she does not plan to move out, despite his family winning a court fight to regain control of the property.
Mariia Romanyshyn insists she is staying put in the semi-detached house in Kenton, Harrow — which was owned by history buff and antique collector Richard Joy.
He died in 2018, having lived his entire life in the West London family home where he amassed a “mountain of books” and left his parents’ old room untouched.
The 82-year-old “bachelor” never married or had children, having spent most of his time at the local library or working on his collection of rare coins, medals and military memorabilia.
But less than two years before his death, Mr Joy gifted his Hillside Gardens residence to 38-year-old Ms Romanyshyn, who worked at the nearby Upper Crust cafe.
The pair formed a close relationship, with the pensioner eventually inviting her and her family to live with him in his house as his "adopted family", Central London County Court heard.
Ms Romanyshyn claimed Mr Joy gifted her his home in 2016, "thrusting” the deeds of the property into her hands and saying: “The house is yours. I want you to keep the house."
However, Mrs Romanyshyn was sued over the "gift" by Mr Joy's cousin and executor of his estate, Martin Larney, who took legal action to try and get the house back in the family’s hands.
After a week in court last month, the case came to an end on Monday when the parties agreed to settle their row, with Mrs Romanyshyn dropping her claim to ownership.
Asked about whether she would need to vacate the property, Ms Romanyshyn told the Daily Mail: “No, this was his will. Why do I need to move out?
“This is Mr Joy's wish. That was his wish.
“All the witnesses can confirm everything was done how it is.”
Ms Romanyshyn said Mr Joy’s family only showed an interest in the house after his death when there was money involved.
She claimed Mr Joy would be “shocked” if he found out his relatives had come for the house, adding: “In all the time I knew Mr Joy he did not have any family come and visit him.”
Mr Larney's barrister Andrew Nicklin claimed that Mr Joy did not have capacity to make such a big decision at that stage of life.
Mr Joy was "vulnerable with apparent cognitive impairment" and "dependant" on Ms Romanyshyn, who had moved into his home with her family at some point after they became friends at the café, Mr Nicklin said.
Giving evidence, Mrs Romanyshyn explained she knew Mr Joy as a "respectable and reputable customer”, and she offered to help him with shopping or casual chores after a spell in hospital.
Her barrister Lynne Counsell said: “They and their children became the adopted family of the deceased and they also assisted him and cared for him, but neither of them were ever paid carers and at no time demanded or received any money for their care and assistance.”
Giving evidence, Mr Larney’s 87-year-old mother Doreen described her first cousin as a “a bit of a recluse” who had a tendency to burn through his money.
She said his bank manager father had tried to leave him money in trust because he “got through it so fast”.
However, Mrs Romanyshyn fought back, claiming he was sharp enough to follow the complex storylines of Benedict Cumberbatch's 'Sherlock' and to play chess.
In his order, Judge Simon Monty KC said the parties had agreed her claim to the house would be "dismissed" and Mr Joy's estate divided up under the terms of a 2011 will, which leaves the bulk of his estate to Mr Larney, Ms Larney, and a former friend.
Ms Romanyshyn's counterclaim against Mr Larney, in which she sought a ruling that she owns Mr Joy’s old home due to a 2016 deed of gift, was also dismissed.
