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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

That him buying his own place is a step too far?

134 replies

Mollyandmack · 28/10/2020 16:12

DP and I have had long term issues but have a toddler DC. I don't think he is very engaged with family life and spends loads of time on his phone and doesn't seem that excited at all by DC's milestones and daily life. He is very defensive when I've brought it up and seems to focus on the criticism of him being offensive rather than looking at whether it's true. I have the whole mental load and I can't rely on him to remember anything. It feels to me like although he does give DC some attention, it's like a tick box exercise before going back to his phone. He is often zoned out and gets easily bored. All of the issues between us are long and complex but ultimately, I would like to make it work if possible - for many reasons. He has threatened to leave on many occasions - and sometimes I think that would be for the best . But overall, I don't think I feel mentally ready yet to accept it's over yet. Probably I'm too sentimental to just accept it's over. The home we live in is mine and he says he wants to buy a place of his own as a financial investment. I feel that is essentially him just planning his escape while he lingers on with us until it suits him to leave. If this is the case, I would want him to rent something now and go sooner as I don't want him hanging about waiting for a house purchase! He insists it's just an investment. I have pointed out that if we were trying to make a go of things , buying an investment flat would be something we would consider together. He says as the house is mine, he needs his own protection and he's not leaving but buying as an investment flat . I feel I would have no dignity to allow my partner and father of DC to be buying his own flat while carrying on in the meantime with family life in a checked out way and essentially using us, I feel. Am I being unreasonable? Would you allow this to happen or would you suggest that instead of buying, he goes now with a rental property? Or is it reasonable for him to have his own place in the event we can't make it work?

OP posts:
flaviaritt · 28/10/2020 17:06

He’s eligible now, though? Why not ask him if he wants to go on your mortgage?

celticmissey · 28/10/2020 17:06

OP, I've been where you are. If he has checked out of family life now, and you have tried, it's not going to change. We all want partners who are family orientated and take an interest in a family life. My OH didn't for many years, everything was left down to me, leaving me exhausted and resentful. We separated for a bit and then tried again.

Guess what? It was good for a few weeks but he went back to how he was before. As much as I would like it to work - it's never going to - and I have finally put my hands up and accepted it. Life is too short to wish away. It sounds to me like things will never change between you.

I know what you're saying about the buying of the property thing - but I would just let him get on with it to be honest. If he rents it out, then will you know his intentions are not to live in it. If he chooses to live in it then let him go. At least he will have a decent property for him to have your DC in.

If I was you, don't waste too much more time trying to get it to work. As hard as it is, the longer you leave it the more unhappy you will feel. Sometimes if a relationship can't be improved we have to accept that and move on.

Mix56 · 28/10/2020 17:09

This is the deadest of all dead horses" indeed.
He isn't committed to you as a family, he is preparing for the eventuality of wanting/needing to leave and he sounds just peachy anyway.
You have seen the signs, deal with it now before you waste any more of your life.

Mollyandmack · 28/10/2020 17:11

MootingMirror - please calm down! You are getting carried away for some bizarre reason. he didn't contribute to purchase price as the bank required anyone financially contributing to be on the mortgage as they would have an interest in the property. You seem that be enjoying sticking the boot in. I'm not sure why you have decided that I must be an abuser and deserving of your trolling. I'm just looking for advice as to what other people would see as reasonable/ unreasonable in a family situation.

OP posts:
DartmoorDoughnut · 28/10/2020 17:12

Dude it’s over, yes it’s sad, yes it’s not what you pictured but jeez you’ll both be happier if you accept it and move on

KiposWonderbeasts · 28/10/2020 17:13

Your relationship sounds dead in the water.

What possible benefit is there for you and your child for having this man around? You both deserve so much better.

Shoxfordian · 28/10/2020 17:14

He's going to leave you so let him go
There's no point in staying

Nanny0gg · 28/10/2020 17:15

@Mollyandmack

He isn't exactly short of financial security to be honest. His family own quite a lot of property and there is no shortage of money which is ultimatelty all coming to him. I have nothing at all behind me and used a small inheritance as the deposit for the property. Given the relationship is really strained, adding him to the house at this moment would seem foolish. He could buy at any time really and has a very secure job. With buying now, well I guess I'm just wondering that is a sign of him just wanting out but not saying so until it suits him. It's all very stressful . He doesn't pay anything towards the mortgage so he is saving a lot of cash - there isn't a big imbalance that I'm benefitting from. In the end, if we split, yeah I will have my wee house with nothing else ever coming andd he will have a property, money and a big inheritance coming his way! The person who asked if out toddler was a surprise...he changed after our DC came along when it wasn't all social life and easy times.
I do not understand why you didn't buy a property together?

Has your relationship been rocky for a long time?

And if he bought somewhere, surely it would be rented out? Rather than a bolthole?

Mummyoflittledragon · 28/10/2020 17:15

YABU
His family has properties. Naturally your dp wants to invest in property. How can you not be ok for him to do something, which you already have.? The relationship is a separate issue and trying to tie them together is making you sound controlling. Just because he may inherit a property or more in the future, why should he wait for something, which may or may not happen? He may die first, the money spent or not inherit until his 70’s. Following your own logic, your dc will inherit any property he, himself buys from him. Why would you object?

Fatted · 28/10/2020 17:16

Take control of the situation. Tell him it would currently make no difference if he were with you or not. So he might as well leave.

Mollyandmack · 28/10/2020 17:19

Also just to add - I did suggest he could buy a family home in his name and we could live there as current home is small. He would rather do his own thing or unilaterally choose this home (we consulted on the house I bought) which is why I'm unsure. I haven't begged him not to leave. He has always threatened and then decided he wants to try. It's not all black and white and as I said, it's complex.

OP posts:
PickAChew · 28/10/2020 17:20

Just let him go. For all you want it to work, it won't.

VinylDetective · 28/10/2020 17:20

@thedancingbear

Telling someone that, if they want to acquire an investment property or take any other financial step, then you will end the relationship, is financial abuse. No ifs or buts.

If a man had posted that he was dithering about staying in a relationship with his girlfriend, but didn't want her buying an investment flat whilst she was not on the mortgage for the family home, he would be torn to bits.

Absolutely. Talk about double standards. MN, the gift that keeps on giving. If the shoe was on the other foot, every post would be urging investment in a rental property.
Bluejewel · 28/10/2020 17:21

It sounds over , if he buys a property it ,like your house ,becomes part of the matrimonial assets - in the event of a divorce the fact that he owns a property might actually help you protect your home from him ... I’d seek some legal advice to see where you’re likely to stand on a divorce before you react too much .

I’m sorry OP - you do only get one life though and it doesn’t sound like he’s adding much to yours

Dhalia443 · 28/10/2020 17:24

Honestly I think that you are irritated that he’s lived off you for years and now has a lump sum to invest. (Should have charged him rent)
You also seems annoyed that he stands to inherit and you don’t. You resent his better financial position.

That’s how I’d feel, but what’s done is done. You don’t like him, or trust him. It’s over.

Throw him out, you’ll feel better.

dontdisturbmenow · 28/10/2020 17:25

So do you think that if he said 'ok, I'm not buying' it would mean he is committed and not intending to go?

Whether he buys or not, he might or might not decide to go.

Velvian · 28/10/2020 17:26

I think you are doing yourself a disservice by conflating the property issues with the parenting gripes.

You seem to to be the unreasonable one in terms of the properties. It suggests that you may be unreasonable in other areas.

I would suggest taking steps to offer him the chance of contributing to your current property, remortgaging and potentially moving on, as you hold all the cards.

However, that is if you want to save the relationship. It seems that you don't and that is probably the message your DP has been getting for some time.

thedancingbear · 28/10/2020 17:26

I think mummyoflittledragon makes a good point

(i) based on your account, OP, the relationship sounds shit.

however (ii) it's impossible to see how you get from that to 'he shouldn't be allowed to own property'.

If this was a decent relationship, then him wanting some financial security would lead to a grown-up discussion about the terms on which you'd let him on the mortgage, and the possibility of the pair of you investing together. Not you asking mumsnet about the reasonableness of him making investments himself. I suspect both parties aren't covering themselves in glory here - the OP sounds pretty aggro.

Candyfloss99 · 28/10/2020 17:35

So you can own your own property but he's not allowed to? Why not put him on the paperwork and let him own half of your house then?

Mollyandmack · 28/10/2020 17:35

Really, I would have hoped we could work things out and bought a bigger place together in the long term. My DP is actually quite money orientated and doesn't like to spend cash and very worried about being ripped off - e.g. always looking for discounts - would rather not pay TV license etc as thinks it's not needed .Would not want to pay a lot for a meal out etc. I am not money driven in the slightest. It's really not about resentment over who has what as I've always happily shared all that is mine. I explained the financial background in response to the questions but I am not resentful.of him having money in the background. Making moves now to buy a place makes me feel he might be making plans and not as committed to making it work. I love him and would love things to be how they used to be. I would find it hurtful to draw out him leaving by buying a property and then going. I'd rather if that's what he wants, he is upfront. Friends say I would be a mug to accept him investing in his own place - as in to carry on trying.to.make things work while he makes his own plans. That's what my question was all about.

OP posts:
flaviaritt · 28/10/2020 17:39

The degree of financial separatism in your relationship sounds unhealthy, OP. What does he actually contribute for his child and living costs?

GeorginaTheGiant · 28/10/2020 17:39

Let him start buying a property. If he buys it with a buy to let mortgage you’ll know he’s being truthful about his intentions, if he buys with a normal residential mortgage you’ll know he isn’t.

But that’s entirely separate from the fact that your relationship is over anyway by the sound of it. If that’s the case then just ask him to leave now and stop worrying about his own property purchase. If you want to make the relationship work (and I’m not sure why, he sounds awful as a partner and father) then you have no choice but to take him at his word and if he ends up moving out when he’s bought somewhere then you can’t really stop him.

tisaginthing · 28/10/2020 17:41

OP, I feel for you and I think there have been some unfair comments on here. You have owned your house and your DP has lived there essentially for free. The fact that he wants to buy somewhere on his own would be a red flag for me.
I've also been where you are; the trust is gone. Ultimately that is what tells me your relationship is over, the property issue is probably a distraction from that.

RoseAndRose · 28/10/2020 17:41

He says as the house is mine, he needs his own protection and he's not leaving but buying as an investment flat

This is entirely reasonable. Unsentimental, practical and in his interests.

Unless you are prepared to share your savings and assets, then it's not up to you to police his.

As she says DP (not DH) there will be no divorce. Each owning a property will make a split (should it come to that) somewhat easier.

ARoseInHarlem · 28/10/2020 17:44

I don't get it.

Of course he's planning on separating. Also, why do you want to stay with someone who doesn't want to stay with you? He's leading you on. If he wants to invest his money, he can go buy a bond or open an investment account. He's just buying time, saving rent and hassle, by staying with you until his own house purchase goes through. You're much more vested in this than he is. Take back the power. It's your house!

Your options are (1) kick him out now, and it'll be up to him whether he rents somewhere/ stays with family/ whatever (2) let him stay until he buys his new place. In your shoes, I'd bite my tongue and go with (1), just because he's my son's dad and the worst thing about him seems to be not caring about him as much as you'd hoped. It's his loss, he'll pay the price ultimately.

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