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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to just leave their stuff?

152 replies

AndroidsConundrum · 11/05/2018 15:20

This is going to be massively outing, but sod it!

I live with my DP in a duplex flat. DP owns the flat, I'm not on the mortgage and I don't have a tenancy agreement (yes, I know, but I can't afford a solicitor to draw up an equity agreement and work part-time, still a student) At Christmas, DP's mate was planning to split up with his girlfriend and at my suggestion (to save him continuing to live with her to save money in spite of wanting to break up with her!) I said this mate should come and stay with us. In January, he split and moved in. In late February, DP asked whether I wanted to make it a longer-term thing. The mate (FM, flatmate!) started paying us rent and moved upstairs. He also doesn't have an official agreement.

I like FM. We've been friends for as long as I've known DP. We get on well, and back in January I was working really long hours and DP was studying so it was nice to have company and have someone to go to the pub with. He moans about DP a lot (they moan about each other) and because DP and I weren't getting along, it was nice to have someone who kind of knew where I was coming from. FM can be a bit sexist and direct, and he likes to explain things to me at length like my job but apart from that he's an alright guy.

And now he's been living here for months. We share cooking, shopping and bills between the three of us. FM and DP used to live together for a few years when I was at uni, and apparently have similar high standards for flat cleanliness. They expect the surfaces in the kitchen clean, cooker clean, all things put away and no 'clutter' at any time. FIY their old flat was a shithole and hardly ever met this standard.

FM doesn't like my cooking. He complains to DP all the time that I'm messy, or leave my stuff in the kitchen (laptop and shoes and things) or don't clean the cooker every night. DP agrees. FM is aggressive and mean to me one minute and then sweet as fuck the other times. He correct me during conversations, or argues with me about politics or whatever endlessly. He does the same to DP who will have 'a chat' about how I'm spoken to, yet simultaneously agree with him.

Last week, I'd gone out to a class, then come back and was sat working in the kitchen. The kitchen wasn't clean, granted, and I was making stuff for lunches for the week. FM came in from the gym, stood there with his arms folded for about five minutes then demanded that I clean the kitchen because he can't cook. I (probably badly) responded "don't cook then". He went for a shower, I cleaned the kitchen. He came back, started telling me I was rude, arrogant and disrespectful and should apologise for my comment. Then said that I didn't understand shared space, that I am messy, leave my stuff everywhere, and I'm childish. I left and went to work in a cafe. DP comes home, FM has told him that I stropped for half an hour because he'd reasonably asked me to clean up, and started being a bitch about it. DP came to the cafe and asked me to make peace and apologise! Later he said that he's often told me to clean up, and that I generally tend to throw a massive stop and pointedly don't clean just to piss him off. That I act like a twelve year old, moan about FM all the time and if I was just cleaner, neither of them would have a go at me.

I do the majority of the cleaning. I clean the bathroom and the kitchen and do the dishwasher and hoover and dust and shop... for the last two weeks I've been making sure absolutely none of my stuff is left anywhere (I've done this experiment a couple of times to "keep peace") and all the dishes, shoes, coats etc are FM's. He's left dishes out. Nobody's hoovered. I've cooked and nobody's been in to eat it. FM shaves in his bathroom and leaves hairs on the floor. I had to ask him three times to clean the bathroom because it hadn't been done for two months. DP hasn't cleaned anything apart from wiping the kitchen/cooker for three weeks and counting.

AIBU to just leave all the stuff to prove a point? DP thinks I'm being childish but it's his stuff left out too. They're as bad as each other and I'm fucking sick of being painted out to be the messy one!

OP posts:
YearOfYouRemember · 11/05/2018 18:48

If he's paying a third towards the mortgage then I'd be worried he'll try and make a claim of actual ownership of the flat.

CheesyWeez · 11/05/2018 18:49

Go and stay with one of your friends and concentrate on your finals.
Especially if you gave a friend who lives closer to your college or wherever you're studying! Then think what to do in the summer.

Mxyzptlk · 11/05/2018 19:53

YearOfYouRemember, he's paying rent because he's a lodger. That's all.

wolloby · 11/05/2018 19:59

It cost about £50-£200 to setup an equity split. I wouldn't pay anymore rent till this in place.

purplelila2 · 11/05/2018 20:17

What I don't understand is why your partner of 10 years is treating you like a flatmate?

you've been with him 10 years, lived together for 4. No ring on your finger or your name on deeds.

And now he's not backing you against the FM in what's meant to be your own home.

I'd be questioning the whole relationship and not the FM situation.

Your boyfriend doesn't see you as a long term life partner or he would not be treating you like this. You and he are supposed to be a team.

AndroidsConundrum · 11/05/2018 20:19

purplelilia I know Sad I think that's the worst thing about this whole situation.

OP posts:
DuckbilledSplatterPuff · 11/05/2018 20:22

"FM knows I've got the same rights as him."? ? OP this can't end well.
He's actually got more rights than you because your partner says no to you, but not to him.
Between the two of them, they have eroded your confidence and made you think that any time you assert yourself - you are out of order. This is just pressure to make you carry on taking this crap, and cleaning and generally being their housekeeper.
Plenty of advice on this thread about finding out what your home ownership rights are from a legal professional, and not just taking partner's word for it. Otherwise you are financing his mortgage with rental income and you have no rights at all. If your partner won't agree, you need to decide if you want to continue paying him rent. Contributing furniture is not the same as paying into the mortgage official. Furniture goes down in value. Propery goes up andi is an investment in your future.
Secondly. See a councillor on your own and get some advice on what to do about this situation. You need some actual support to help you assert yourself in this relationship and with the horrible flatmate.
If you want to stay with your partner you need to fix these two things.
Get some good advice first, make your back up plan and then make your stand -- FM or You. Gook Luck

Sparkletastic · 11/05/2018 20:30

They are sexist fuckers. Tell DP that FM goes or you do. Get some financial independence.

ItsNachoCheese · 11/05/2018 20:30

FM is a total pisstaking cuntpuffin! Tell him to fuck off and let you and dp get your relationship back to just you and dp not you, dp and FM

AndroidsConundrum · 11/05/2018 20:41

I didn't realise that I could a) get shared equity without being on the mortgage as such and b) that it doesn't cost £1k to do it! Though to be fair to DP, I don't know why I thought it would be so much... I think it's because that's how much the solicitors fees were when we bought the flat. Or when he bought it.

OP posts:
purplelila2 · 11/05/2018 20:47

What's also weird is you're in a relationship of 10 years your bf buys a flat , doesn't put you on the deeds at the time. You're living there as a couple a friend moves in and now seems to think he's got as many "rights" as you do.

He's a lodger whereas that is YOUR home.

You don't mention how old you are OP but can you afford to waste any more years of your life with this name if you weigh up what you want Eg kids , marriage etc .

Don't waste your precious time on someone who treats you like a flatmate rather than life partner.

Motoko · 11/05/2018 23:57

You can't get shared equity if you're not on the mortgage, you'd (the pair of you) need to take out a new mortgage with you on the mortgage and deeds. You do not need to be earning to be on the mortgage. Once you've got the mortgage, you then sign a deed of trust, stating what the equity split would be.

The reason the solicitors fees were £1k last time, was because they were dealing with the conveyancing when the flat was bought. A deed of trust would cost a lot less, as it's just a form that needs to be drawn up and signed.

myfriendbob · 12/05/2018 00:00

I live with my DP in a duplex flat. DP owns the flat, I'm not on the mortgage and I don't have a tenancy agreement (yes, I know, but I can't afford a solicitor to draw up an equity agreement and work part-time, still a student)

Did you pay half the deposit? How much do you contribute given that you are a student?

myfriendbob · 12/05/2018 00:01

You do not need to be earning to be on the mortgage

You do though. Obviously.

SimonBridges · 12/05/2018 08:19

Op, you’ve been together 10 years. Were you very young when you got together? Is part of the problem that you don’t want to be alone for the first time in your adult life? Have you experienced other, working, relationships?
This relationship is simply not working for you. Why would he buy a flat and not include you if he thought your relationship had any kind of future?

Tell him that FM goes or you do by the end of the week. Get a friend lined up to stay with. His response will tell you everything.

Think very hard, op. Do you want to spend the rest of your life with this man? Do you want children with him? Do you want to grow old with him?

This relationship sounds utterly doomed. Get out while you can.

SimonBridges · 12/05/2018 08:20

You do not need to be earning to be on the mortgage

You do though. Obviously.

What about SAHM/F? Are they never on a mortgage?

Mxyzptlk · 12/05/2018 09:21

Do you ever talk to either of those men in the nasty way they talk to you? If not, why not?

Does one of them talk to the other in the nasty way they talk to you? If not, why not?

Those questions are worth thinking about.

Motoko · 12/05/2018 09:28

You do though. Obviously.

No, you don't. How would SAHM be on mortgages then? When my ex partner and I got one, I was between jobs and couldn't contribute to the deposit either, but it wasn't a problem.

MapleLeafRag · 12/05/2018 09:28

I would concentrate on finishing the degree, look for a graduate job anywhere, then move out and leave them to it.

CowbellPopular · 12/05/2018 09:43

This sounds like normal housemate stuff - everyone seems to think they do more cleaning than everyone else! Draw up a rota.

It is not OK that you don't have equity in the flat. Sort that out immediately. You've been together for a decade, it's really not OK that it's not joint ownership.

myfriendbob · 12/05/2018 09:56

almost impossible for sahm to get on a new mortgage as well, but easier if married.

I don't think people know how mortgages work.

wolloby · 12/05/2018 10:05

If your combined income is enough to cover mortgage payments you can get a mortgage. The fact that their calculations are based on 95% of it coming from him doesn't matter. Unless you have bad credit rating. And can't someone be on deeds but not mortgage? Don't go on mortgage but not deeds that's worst of both worlds!

CoffeeOrSleep · 12/05/2018 11:27

@CowbellPopular - this sounds like normal housemate stuff - that is unfortunately the problem. The OP didn't think she was just her DPs housemate, but her DPs long term partner.

PinkFluffyFairy · 12/05/2018 13:04

Sorry op but I don't think your bf will give u any share in his flat. Tell him you've got the money for the solicitor and see what happens. He bought the flat without u.

Gemini69 · 12/05/2018 21:37

OP's situation is this.... her DP merely has two long term flatmates helping HIM buy his property.... nice