We haven't had a handout as such - apart from furniture etc that the parents no longer needed/wanted, but we have accepted loans before - the most was $15,000 from my parents, when our home loan fell through 48 hours before settlement, and then $4,000 - $5,000 from MIL twice to pay for floorboards, or put towards a car.

In every instance we've paid the money back within 12 months (24 months for the $15,000), but it was always impressed on us that if we had to postpone repayments or awhile that was ok. None of the times did these loans require any 'interest' to be paid back on top of the loan.