How do you financially protect your existing dc when moving in with a new partner?

[Teaandbicciesplease]

Not financially exactly but not sure how to word it.

I was chatting with a friend last night and she asked me if I would ever consider moving in with a new partner. I said yes but now I'm thinking about it I have no idea how it could work.

I live in a small 2 bed HA property and have 2 young dc, so no room for anyone to move in here. If I moved into someone else's home they could obviously turf us out if the relationship ended. The other option is to buy a property together (hypothetically) but then if the relationship fails we'd all be stuck in the house together until its sold or someone buys the other out.

I don't have savings or even any family to fall back in an emergency. Is it better to live alone until the dc leave home?

I wouldn't give up a HA property while you have children.

I'm a single parent and a homeowner, I will never marry or live with a partner as I want DS to inherit everything, I don't want some man to end up with the house I worked hard to get.

I get that, and I'd probably feel the same if I had assets to protect. For me, it's more that I want to protect them from another relationship breakdown and ending up homeless.

Life is a risk, and you do what you can to manage risks within your own parameters.
I would never have wished my marriage breakdown on my dc.
I met someone else, he & dcs got on, moved in with me and it was great, he was a very positive influence on them.
And then he got cancer, was ill for nearly a year and died. And dc had to deal with living through that, and through both their and my pain afterwards.
I don't know that I'd risk leaving secure housing to move in with someone.
But I also know that I enjoy being part of a couple.
Maybe it's a decision you have to make when you are in the situation.
I'm seeing someone else now, we've been together 3 years, I'm pretty sure we won't be living together until my youngest has finished schooling in another 3 years.

I think when you have small dc it’s as always a risk to move in with a partner but in your circumstances I wouldn’t. To give up a HA tenancy would be a really bad idea. Just as any person with financial assets takes a risk marrying every single time. Horrible isn’t it?

@Auntienumber8

I think when you have small dc it’s as always a risk to move in with a partner but in your circumstances I wouldn’t. To give up a HA tenancy would be a really bad idea. Just as any person with financial assets takes a risk marrying every single time. Horrible isn’t it?

It is

Money will always be a struggle because paying rent, council tax,gas, electric, water, food, car, bills and childcare on one salary is impossible. All the big decisions left to me, the cooking, cleaning, gardening, DIY, and car maintenance is all my responsibility and no one to share the load.

And a HA property is obviously better than private renting security wise, but I wish that I could actually choose where I want to live! Not be assigned a property then have to grateful for it for the rest of my life.

Sorry for the pity party! It's just that the future looks very lonely from here.

I wouldn’t live with a partner again. That’s how I protect my children financially. When my children are adults I may reconsider but I would need a watertight legal agreement to ensure I didn’t lose money and I certainly wouldn’t get married again. No way