Housing Crisis: Tinley Park Woman Sued By Ex-Fiance After Wedding Called Off

A Tinley Park woman filled her fiance "with a false sense of security," then refused to pay him the money he put into buying a house with her when they broke off their engagement, according to a lawsuit filed in Will County court.

The lawsuit brought by John Roe of Cook County said he and Monica Rachanski got engaged in April 2013. Then five months later she bought a Tinley Park house "in contemplation of their impending nuptials, and with the intention that it would be their marital home."

But even though Rachanski bought the house and it was in her name, the suit said, "John and Monica jointly participated in the purchase process, in that they viewed listings online together, went to open houses, and visited many homes listed for sale before jointly agreeing to the residence" on Meadow's Edge Trail.

Not only that, the suit said, but Roe chipped in $5,000 to what Zillow listed as the $283,000 sale price and then "contributed $15,000 toward improvements of the home, including the purchase and installation of new floors, doors, all new base and door trim, replacement of outlet covers and ground fault circuit interrupters and priming and painting the entire house."

And on top of that, the suit said, the couple had an "agreement that John would pay the monthly mortgage installments and Monica would pay the utilities."

But then the wedding plans were dashed, as the couple broke off their engagement in January and "Monica requested that John move out of the residence, to which he obliged," the suit said.

Fortunately for Roe, he had someplace to go, the suit said, as he had held on to his old house "which he intended to retain as a rental property once the parties were married."

But Roe was still out the money from the sale, the costs of the home improvement projects and the mortgage payments, the suit said. And now that Rachanski has a deal set to sell the house—for $349,900, according to Zillow—he wants to get paid.

The lawsuit calls for $27,500 plus attorney fees and other costs.

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