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Ex husband and new kitchen

238 replies

donotknowhownottomind · 17/11/2019 07:27

Ex moved out 19 months ago and we have been divorced for almost a year.

It was a horrible divorce - I divorced him due to emotional abuse mainly - and he does not speak to me at all. Any logistical message which I have to send him is never responded to - ever. Though he does read them and sometimes do what is suggested.

One of the worst things about our marriage was the fact that he would regularly subject me to very long silent treatments - we are talking weeks and weeks. It’s hardly surprising that having had the temerity to divorce him I am now dead to him 🙄.

The settlement meant that I got the family home and he got smaller assets, which put together roughly equalled the value of the house. He could have sold these and got somewhere suitable for him and the kids when they were with him, but instead he has been building a new property for him to live in for the past I don’t know how long, and living in another of his assets which is not suitable for the dc (teenagers).

So he has been coming to mine when the dc are home from school and cooking for them - while I am still at work. We never cross paths. The last time we came face to face was in February.

This has been ok but I have recently told him (by unanswered email) that it has to stop when he finishes his house - because I can see a situation where he either never finishes the house, or the dc don’t want to budge and he is still coming to mine months down the line.

The issue now is that after months of saving and planning and buying units and organising it all, and emptying the old one, I am having a new kitchen installed, to replace our very old and manky one.

Aibu not to want ex, who ignores me completely, to be using it when it is finished? Not always but he sometimes leaves a mess, I know he bangs pots and pans around but now we have a fragile induction hob, and he used to sometimes cut straight on to our wooden worktop (Angry) when we were together, but he better bloody not do that to the new ones being installed!

As is normal, all the effort has been made by me (am painting it as well), but he might even get to use it before I do - it will be ready to use on Tuesday afternoon.

Aibu to just want ex to go away and to claim what is now my space? Am I being petty?

Forgot to add that he very obviously got together with someone while we were forced to live in the same house for months during the divorce. It was extremely painful for me. I don’t know if they are still together, but he obviously moved on at the speed of light. Why, two years after this, is he going to be in my hard worked for kitchen which he essentially won’t give a shit about?

OP posts:
Sewbean · 17/11/2019 17:03

It's a big ask for a 13 yr old to not let their dad in when he is standing on the doorstep. Is there another adult who can be in the house the first few times he comes?

Horrible situation op, you've been really generous to him all this time.

BitOfFun · 17/11/2019 17:05

You need to get out of that mindset. He can't reject you, because YOU DON'T WANT HIM. Not in your bed, not in your kitchen, not in your property.

donotknowhownottomind · 17/11/2019 17:09

I wouldn’t expect them to keep him out, I hope that he realises he has to change what he is doing once he realises I will keep on about it.

Why can’t he see that I have actually been quite laid back and kind really?

It does feel weird because we were a family unit, all this keeping each other out business, but it is his behaviour which in large part led to where we are.

With the kitchen - I guess that in its new state it doesn’t have any marriage or divorce related trauma attached to it, but as soon as he starts using it, it will somehow be tainted.

I guess there is no getting away from the fact that we are will always be tainted by the whole situation.

OP posts:

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donotknowhownottomind · 17/11/2019 17:09

will not are will

OP posts:
dreichwinter · 17/11/2019 17:09

I second getting someone else in the house at contact pick up time to ensure he doesn't come in.
Don't get drawn back into his mind games.
I'd get a solicitor's letter outlining that he is not to enter your property.
Organize for someone to be there at the next few pick ups.
You don't have to tolerate his nonsense anymore.

RandomMess · 17/11/2019 17:41

He is perfectly well aware of what he is doing and believes he is perfectly entitled to do as he wishes like he did when you were married.

"You are welcome to invite the DC to yours or to take them elsewhere whenever you wish in their free time. You are not permitted in my house anymore"

T0tallyFuckedUpFamily · 17/11/2019 17:48

I wouldn’t expect them to keep him out,

They may not be able to keep him out, but they sure as hell have no right to invite him in. You sound so passive, OP. On one hand, you say you don’t want him there, but on the other you’re saying you might have to keep repeating yourself. He’s already made it plain he has no intention of listening and you don’t seem to have the strength to take any real action, other than saying I hope that he realises he has to change what he is doing once he realises I will keep on about it.

He won’t, you know he won’t. You need to take legal action to stop him. If you don’t, then you might as well still be in a dysfunctional relationship with him.

GiveHerHellFromUs · 17/11/2019 18:08

Tell him they're capable of getting their own hot food and he's not welcome in your home. End of.

Vintagevixen · 17/11/2019 18:28

Sorry I can't believe you let him in in the first place, really my jaw dropped on reading your post.

I am in the process of separating from an emotionally abusive partner and selling the family home to buy one of my own.

When this happens there is no way he will ever be allowed in my new home. In fact he is not even going to have my new address but will be picking DD up for access visits from a relative.

Stop these intrusions into your home and space now, and do not feel one shred of guilt about it.

FinallyHere · 17/11/2019 18:30

Why can’t he see that I have actually been quite laid back and kind really?

It's not that he cannot see that, rather that his interest is in maintaining the albeit small amount of control you are now allowing him.

fuzzymoon · 17/11/2019 19:06

You need to arrange for arrange formal access now. It's ridiculous what he's saying. The arrangement is also ridiculous.

donotknowhownottomind · 17/11/2019 19:11

The situation is that they can of course see him whenever they want - they are teenagers. Just not here as that has gone on for too long.

OP posts:
Gruzinkerbell1 · 17/11/2019 19:32

Take a couple of half days and make sure you’re at home when he’d normally make himself at home in your house. He’ll soon get the message that you’re not playing when he’s left on the doorstep looking like the twat he is.

CallmeAngelina · 17/11/2019 19:52

I fully support your stance, but in reality it might be quite difficult for your children to police whether or not he steps over the threshold. He may well do it in small steps - e.g. "just" needing the loo/getting a glass of water etc.. and before you know it, he'll have his feet back under the table.
Second the idea of taking half a day's leave for the relevant few weeks until he fully gets the message.

Parker231 · 17/11/2019 19:54

It’s not your job to facilitate your DC’s seeing their father. If he wants to see them, he should be making the arrangements to feed and entertain them. Why has he had access to your home post divorce?

WhoKnewBeefStew · 17/11/2019 20:21

Stick to your guns OP. He's wrong in expecting you to facilitate his visits. That's his job as a father

justilou1 · 17/11/2019 22:41

I think very strongly worded letter AND email. “You have been asked not to come to this property any more. If you choose to ignore this, I will consider this harassment/stalking and take legal action.” The children have been advised that you are no longer going to be allowed entry into the house.

Get the ring doorbell. Have a camera installed in the kitchen.

FairyBatman · 22/11/2019 20:30

@donotknowhownottomind what did you do in the end? Is your kitchen all wonderful and shiny Grin it’s better than a new car smell having a new kitchen!

RandomMess · 29/11/2019 12:48

How's it going?

donotknowhownottomind · 29/11/2019 21:58

Hi thanks for asking.

The kitchen is lovely. Really lovely 😊 .

On the ex front he has ignored what I said about not coming to the house and is here in the afternoons - food stored in the kitchen, cooking for the kids. He even used the new induction hob on the day the kitchen was finished. Surfaces just been oiled, the fitter told him not to touch anything, I hadn’t seen the finished kitchen yet or used the hob.

I was thinking that if he keeps the kitchen tidy I could live with him coming here for the

OP posts:
T0tallyFuckedUpFamily · 29/11/2019 22:04

Oh ffs OP! You might as well have let the man stay with you, since he’s still treating you like his wife/property.

donotknowhownottomind · 29/11/2019 22:05

oops - for the time being as it is difficult for the kids if they never see him....

However, today he seems to have stopped my maintenance payments. He gives me £60 a week for the three dc and it is on a standing order which gets it to me every Friday. Nothing today. I sent an innocuous message asking but of course got no answer.

Have been feeling sick about this all day.

He probably thinks that if I can afford to do the kitchen up I don’t need money from him. The kitchen itself I am paying for in interest free instalments. The rest I had saved for - labour, worktop, a couple of appliances.

Or he has stopped the money as revenge for asking him not to come here?

That’s £240 a month that I rely on and need. The dc are with me all the time and I have multiple outgoings.

(Plus he has also burnt one of my new pans today and left it.)

OP posts:
donotknowhownottomind · 29/11/2019 22:07

he’s still treating you like his wife/property.

Yes and it looks like now things will have to get unpleasant. Again. The divorce was horrible.

OP posts:
donotknowhownottomind · 29/11/2019 22:11

That’s £20 a week per child he was paying.

OP posts:
TowelNumber42 · 29/11/2019 22:14

He is really upping the control now he knows he can get you back under his thumb. Solicitors letter. He is not to come into your house even if children invite him. If he does you will take action. Then actually do it.

Tell the children he is banned. They have to go to his. If they let him in they will lose privileges. Then actually do it.

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