Friends working for free have rights?

[Alex Howard]

So in my current flip property we have my partners step dad coming in and volunteering his time working on the house with us. Sometimes we are not there and he brings his wife to help or just keep him company. My father is concerned that this gives him the ability to lay claim to money either for his services or money when we sell the property. I am under the impression that since there is no written or oral contract for payments there is no issue. We are in Ohio if that helps. 

[Michael King]

My guess is that anyone can litigate for anything. A claim that there is a verbal contract could give you headaches. Only you can gage if he has ulterior motives for helping, and some people fall over themselves trying to 'help' if they think there's a buck in it for them. Human nature is to help others, but another human nature is sniffing out greenbacks. I'd worry less about your father's concerns, and more about what if step dad hurts himself in your property. For that reason I wouldn't let friends or family 'help' in one of my properties. Good question and good luck.