Family in 45m2 flat with 8m2 bedroom

Definitely move. Keep the flat, you've already got it rented out. Use the equity from the flat as leverage for the new mortgage.

Just get on with your life, and do what you want to.

Sounds like your parents are just sad you'll be moving further away from them - is that right? And, perhaps, "blaming" DP, because that's human nature I suppose.

Perfectly reasonable to want something bigger - and to expect to be able to have it, with two people working. Go for it.

The flat is obviously too small and especially if you have a child. Your parents are being unreasonable.

Does it matter? You've already decided you don't want to live there so why worry about it?

You did say this, OP, which doesn't make it clear that they have already been paid back.

They helped me decorate the flat and paid some of the parts like solicitor fees (which I have been paying them back)
They just think it's a shame to sell after 2 years which I do understand

Your communication style is a bit confusing, with quite a bit of detail that's not really pertinent to your question, which might be one reason you're getting answers you don't think are helpful.

How long would the commute be if your partner learned to drive?

Your 35 - assuming you're not a vulnerable person - you can do what you like.

Have you've made some bad decisions in the past concerning partners and they're concerned you're going to lose your investment?

If it doesn't even fit a double bed though it isn't large enough for 2 let alone 3 with a bedside cot. We're talking about a 1 single bedroom flat. The family I know in a flat had a double bedroom with a lot of space at the end of the bed.

I worked at a village primary school. Using buses it would take.me 3 buses (2 companies so no saver ticket), about 2hrs door to door. Thankfully I could get a lift part ways most days which did help, but still 1hr+.
Passed my driving test and it was a 20min car journey, my life changed dramatically !!

I answered from the information you gave. You said they helped you financially.

Op, I think it would have been best to leave out your family’s opinion in this post, and the answers would have been more helpful to you. MN posters have typically grabbed onto your family’s interference, and the focus is on that rather than giving you helpful answers about your living arrangements. I think living in that situation is doable if you declutter and make sure you stay on top of tidying stuff away, but the question is, do you want to live that way of constantly being on top of stuff if you have other options available to you? I guess it might be a stressful way to live, so I’d be inclined to be on your side with this.

I can see where they are coming from. They helped you out financially. And now you are selling after only 2 years and now a not very great housing market especially for flats. Their money was more or less wasted.

Op you know you're not unreasonable, they're just getting into your head. You're paying for your new home so it's nothing to do with being greedy. You aren't expecting someone to give you a larger home so it's up to you what you buy. Of course a small one bed isn't suitable for a growing family.

If you can afford to get a mortgage and keep your flat as a buy to let i would, but otherwise sell it and crack on finding your new home, getting married and having babies. In the meanwhile, learn to filter out the noise of people determined to keep you pinned down into their expectations

The plan seems badly thought through. Why did you not just sell the flat and then move in with your partner? What’s the huge rush?

I can understand your family concerns as you are selling very quickly after purchasing. I don’t know where you live but the flats market in many areas of the country is dead, landlords are selling up in large numbers which is flooding the market and there is still a residual holdover from Covid days when people realised how difficult it was not to have any outside space so anything without a garden or balcony is even more difficult to sell.

as a landlord now, I hope you are aware of and fulfilling all your responsibilities – that the flat has electrical and gas certificates, that the deposit is protected properly in a scheme, that you are paying tax on the income, etc. There is so much regulation and expense now that I doubt you are going to make any money on renting your flat and it makes it less attractive to sell with a tenant in situ.

It doesn’t sound like your family have anything against your partner particularly but are just concerned that you are making rushed decisions with big financial implications.

Ok, well, everytime this sort of thread comes up, I state the obvious: if you have to make it work, you can. Do you have to? If you can afford somewhere else, why wouldn't you make your life better by moving? Everyone always has an opinion on everything; just ignore your family and do what is best for you and your partner.

What you have a baby???

Jesus lead with that!!!!!

sell the flat and don't entertain any more chat from your parents.

What father wants a 3 hr commute ewith a newborn

We live in a European city where most families live in a flats. I do know a couple of families who have started out in apartments that size, most look for a 2 bed once their baby is a toddler so they can have their own room. We have a two bed with two DC, we’ve bought furniture to maximise the space and really think about what we buy to avoid clutter. It is doable but it doesn’t sound like it’s what you want though.

How long have you been together?