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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:
IncandescentSilver · 28/10/2020 17:44

Personally I can't see the problem. I come from a family who have invested regularly in property and many of whom own more than one.

I think whats more important is that you have completely different expectations of a relationship and you seem to have decided that he has already partially checked out of that relationship.

I know I couldn't live with a man or husband who objected me to buying my own property with my own money if I wasn't on the title deeds of the main family home. I would probably leave for that reason alone.

The pair of you sound very incompatible.

Youcunnyfunt · 28/10/2020 17:45

Well, no, for the reasons other people have mentioned, it's not unreasonable of him to want to have an asset of his own, especially considering you are not in a good place to start merging current assets and finances. I mean, don't even consider that unless your relationship drastically changes.

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.

You wouldn't be a mug, however, it's pretty clear you don't like or love him, and the relationship is pretty much over - you would be burying your head in the sand if you continue without actually addressing your issues! I think he's pretty sensible to be making plans, but you need to address your situation - do you even want to make things work? Is it worth it?
It's so hard I know, I've been in a long term relationship that dragged on too long - you need to be brave and face up to reality and what you really want for you and your children in the future. Regardless of what your BF is doing or planning of doing. Spend some time thinking about what you need and want.

user1471538283 · 28/10/2020 17:45

I would make him leave now. It's not him buying somewhere its that he is not engaged in family life.

MootingMirror · 28/10/2020 17:45

@ARoseInHarlem

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.

You clearly don't invest much if you think buying a bond is remotely the same as buying a rental property.
OhCaptain · 28/10/2020 17:46

His reasons for buying sound sensible and valid.

Your issues with him are separate to that. Or at least they should be.

If you’re paying the mortgage by yourself, what is he contributing financially, out of interest?

Moving forward I think you should realise this relationship is going nowhere fast. So end it and tell him to move out. What he does after that is his business.

As long as he pays his maintenance, his finances are his own.

OhCaptain · 28/10/2020 17:48

Oh, and as for his future inheritance - that’s a ridiculous thing to be upset about!

He can’t help it that he’ll inherit a lot anymore than you can help it that you won’t.

Presumably your child will also have a chance of benefiting from that in the future.

Derbee · 28/10/2020 17:48

This thread has been pointlessly hijacked. The simple answer is yes, you would be a mug to allow him to use your comfortable family life until he’s got all his ducks in a row to leave you.

Your relationship sounds like it’s over. He wants to leave. He’s money focused and doesn’t want to pay rent whilst he buys a flat. Accept that it’s over, and suggest he goes and rents somewhere until he can buy.

If it’s a genuine investment and he rents it out and wants to stay with you, there’s always the option of him moving back in and making it work. But currently, you need to stand up for yourself and ask him to move out.

Tistheseason17 · 28/10/2020 17:50

Yep,s sounds like he is unhappy and getting himself sorted - and why shouldn't he if the relationship is over as it sounds. You can't make someone love you and a shared child should not be only reason to stay.

DefinitelyPossiblyMaybe · 28/10/2020 17:54

I think this thread has gone down the wrong path of everyone focusing on the potential property purchase. The bottom line is, as you have laid out, he is not interested in family life, he's not interested in his child, he doesn't pull his weight in the home and he sounds like a complete deadweight. Do you really want him or do you want the idea of what you wish he could be? He is showing you who he is, he won't change and I think you need to plan a future without him.

ARoseInHarlem · 28/10/2020 17:55

If only you knew, @MootingMirror Hmm

pinkyredrose · 28/10/2020 17:57

If he bought a family home in his name would you then sell your house?

Why don't you take control of your own dignity and boot his lazy arse out.

Thehop · 28/10/2020 18:01

What does he contribute to the home you share now?

ImMoana · 28/10/2020 18:08

I don’t understand why him buying an investment property equals him planning to leave you? Unless it’s because you think he’s lying and he’s going to buy it and then move in himself?

You’ll be able to tell by his mortgage application.

I have an investment property and I’m not on the mortgage for the house I live in with my family but I have no plans to leave. Plus I have tenants in who have a contract. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t just evict them so I can move in.

MaMaD1990 · 28/10/2020 18:09

From an outside perspective I would suggest making plans to get yourself financially stable (it sounds like you are already tbf) and take the controls and tell him to go. He sounds as though he doesn't want to go through with a decision he made long ago on his own and perhaps trying to push you to do it anyway. I had a similar situation and the best thing I ever did was break it off and told him to leave. I understand that its difficult but you must also think of your child and how the strained relationship is viewed by them (and it won't have gone unnoticed). You would be crazy to stay with him if he bought somewhere on his own. It just sounds odd to me. Good luck to you and your DC.

MaMaD1990 · 28/10/2020 18:11

Also @mootingmirror - you're an arse. Ahh I feel better now ☺

Longdistance · 28/10/2020 18:17

He’s obviously buying somewhere to live himself, there’s no doubt about it. He’s checked out and couldn’t give a crap. Who’s he on the phone to?what’s he doing with it?
If you’ve had long term issues then it’s a given he’ll be off.

FineWordsForAPorcupine · 28/10/2020 18:18

My guess is not so much that he is planning to leave - I think he wants to have his cake and eat it.

This "investment" property will be his convenient bolthole for when he's fed up of family life - all he has to do is engineer an argument, then strop off there for a few days to "get his head straight". He probably doesn't want to split up properly, since then he'd have to pay maintenance and look after his own child by himself.

What he wants is two lives - one where you run a cosy family home, do the childcare and the shit work, that he can be part of it when it suits him. And another life, with his own adult space, no demands on his time, no one to answer to. He wants to be able to flit between each house when he wants.

The thing is that "stopping" him from buying the property won't actually fix the problem - he'll still be a lazy, checked out, resentful partner. I think the best thing you can do is to seriously start thinking about and coming to terms with the fact that this relationship is coming to an end.

What do you need to start doing to set up a single life? What is one thing about your life which would improve if he left? A hobby you could start while your child is being looked after by him? Do you have a good support network, or could it do with strengthening?

And the next time he decides to leave? Don't beg him to come back.

BluebellsGreenbells · 28/10/2020 18:20

I think it's fair enough that he wants to buy a property since you own the one he lives in now

Do you? Do you think it’s fair he lives rent free to enable him to save for that property? Do you think it’s fair OP paying all the mortgage to house herself, him and the child?

Do you think if he buys this property that OP and child should move into it and live rent free whilst she rents out her property and keeps all the rent money?

1Morewineplease · 28/10/2020 18:22

It sounds to me that he's wanting to check out of your relationship.
Let him go .
He'll need to step up to the mark re visitation rights.
I'm so sorry .

Meuniere · 28/10/2020 18:23

You have two issues here.

  • the flat. You are not married and you already have a house/flat. I think that him having an investment And buying a flat is fair enough.
  • your relationship. From what you say, it’s dead. Why are you carrying on hoping to save things with someone who isn’t interested in making things better?? He doesn’t want to be there. He isn’t even interested in his own child. It’s not going to get better imo.
Meuniere · 28/10/2020 18:28

Btw I agree that he is lining his duck in a row in case or in preparation to leave you. When it is convenient for him.
This comes out in the way he presented how/what he is buying rather than that purchase been something you are ‘doing together’.

MootingMirror · 28/10/2020 18:28

@MaMaD1990

Also *@mootingmirror* - you're an arse. Ahh I feel better now ☺
Yes, OP is an abuser but I'm an arse for pointing it out. I forgot the golden rule of MN "women can't be abusers, women are always right, men are evil".
GeorginaTheGiant · 28/10/2020 18:31

@FineWordsForAPorcupine has it I think. He may not be planning to leave you in a cut and dried way as soon as he’s bought somewhere but it sounds very much like it will fit in with the ‘one foot in, one foot out’ way he’s living with you at the moment. It will give him somewhere to go (and do what?) each time he starts talking about leaving you. But he has it too good with you to leave properly, at least until he has someone else firmly lined up. Your relationship breaking up isn’t going to be an overnight thing but it’s happening as a sliding scale-this is one step further in the wrong direction.

I don’t actually think there is anything wrong with him buying a property as an investment in his situation, but if the relationship was good you soundly be wondering if it was so that he could leave you. The fact that you genuinely believe that is his motivation is the problem.

Sunshinehousexo · 28/10/2020 18:31

In your OP you have referred to "allowing" him to buy a property and I think I that's were posters have felt you were potentially being controlling.

Have you both considered buying an investment flat together along with putting his name on the mortgage if you're both wanting to make the relationship work?

MaMaD1990 · 28/10/2020 18:31

@mootingmirror - got it in one sweetheart ; )