It's ours not mine - or is it?

So I'm even more behind my original answer.

He's stayed with you in this rented accomodation despite not being able to set up a secure future for himself and DC by buying a home because of your poor credit.

I wouldn’t split it 50:50 because if you split you will lose your home that your relative has gifted to you.

If you split how much of a mortgage could you raise to buy them out?

I would keep a large enough share that you could keep it on your own.

How do your pensions compare? Is one of you in danger of financially struggling if you ever split?

My hard line was that I wouldn’t own a house jointly with someone I wasn’t married to - and so we married at about the same time we bought our first property.

Either you’re married and a legally recognised partnership, or you have separate affairs and it’s up to your relative whether she gifts it to just you or both of you. But I wouldn’t be tangling finances with someone I’m not married to - so I appreciate I might have a skewed view on this.

This!

Ah considering your update I think he definitely should be cut in. Maybe 75/25 or 70/30 and if you get married it will be 50/50 won't it. 😉

I’d be putting it 100% in my name. Your relative can choose to do whatever they want with the house but they’re giving it to you. If your partner had rented a house from a stranger he wouldn’t be getting anything back, so don’t see that it’s any different.

Well it's not exactly Mills and Boon, but would you both consider getting married? You've been together longer than some marriages last!

It's a gift to you so it is yours. I don't know what your relationship is like, are you likely to split up in the future? This house is your security do you trust your partner enough to risk losing half of it? Neither of you earned it, I don't know if you were paying market rate rent or if it was a low rent, the deal being you did the repairs. If your partner left would you be able to support yourself or is he the main bread winner? Think about it before making a decision, perhaps get married, then you will have a share of his money, pension, etc, which would make things fairer if you did separate.

Hmmm. He has been disadvantaged a bit due to your shit credit meaning you couldn’t buy somewhere for a very long time. He stayed regardless and now you get a house for free that he’s made major contributions to. Morally I’d feel uncomfortable with doing this to my partner.

Then morally you need to put it 50:50 and I think maybe get married too. Why not?

I can't decide based on the information you've given what's for the best.

Who's made the bad financial decisions that make you ineligible for a mortgage, do you have any debts between you, do you plan to get married and do you have kids?

The house is a gift to you from your family. If you were my family member and you weren't married I'd expect you to keep it in your name as I'd want to keep the house in the family.

Also what was the rent? Was it discounted family rate or market rate?

If he's been sensible with money and invested in the house I don't think he should get nothing, however 50/50 is maybe a bit too much maybe 75/25. However if his finances are worrying I would keep it in my name so I didn't eventually lose the house!

The person gifting the house can put anyone on the deeds - ie they can give it to anyone at all. The are giving you the house, not 50/50 you and partner. If grandparent gave granddaughter a diamond tiara, the parent wouldn't be entitled to half its value.

Because you're not married, I would keep it only in your own name but obviously not expect partner to contribute to it in future. I'd also figure out a way to compensate partner for the money, time, and effort put in to improving the property in the past. I'm assuming you don't pool all your money etc.

I would definitely look at a tenancy in common 25/75 or 70/30 to reflect what has being put in it is easy to do and isn’t affected by marriage and makes sense given what you have said

We don't know the sex of the OP or partner. (cross posted - we do now)

And I am not 'MN' I am me, but my answer would not be different, UNLESS the Dp has ceased / compromised their career and earnings capacity and pension in order to raise shared children , in which case they need and deserve the same security as the OP.

If I was a female partner in this position I would be glad of the rent-free future and save my resulting extra money towards my own security

Put it in your own name. It is security for you. You are not married.

Would you? Renting a property gives you zero right to ownership.

Rent paid and works done do have importance here considering OP says: I am being gifted the house because we have paid so much in rent and what we have done to it.

no I wouldn't do 50/50.

you and your partner have paid rent over the last 14 years. That wasn't a mortgage, it was rent.

you chose to do some works - again that was your choice and in no way entitled you to ownership of the property.

your relative now want to gift you the property - that's their call.

nothing to stop your partner staying with you in your property.

but if you split, joint ownership would force a sale.

OP - the contributions thus far have been cheap rent.

The house is being given to you.

Put it in your name.

Your partner will benefit from being rent-free henceforth and can use that money to build their own security.

If you are married you could leave the house direct to your children rather than spouse, as long as spouse was suitably housed / supported. In a divorce the house would be considered part of the marital pot but its not cut and dried.

It’s a gift to you and only you. If your family member wanted you both to own it, they would have said so.

I feel like quite a few questions are being avoided here...

Was it you who made the bad financial decisions? @ohthiscouldgetmessy