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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not sell my home for the benefit of my stepkids?

748 replies

jaicobain · 07/01/2023 15:34

I was never able to have children of my own. I was with somebody for 20 years, had all the treatments, and only ever had miscarriages. He became abusive and I left in my mid-40s, that was that. I am lucky in that I bought my house before he came along. I’m 57 now, and have come to terms with not having DC, but it’s still a great source of sadness to me.

My 2 nieces were born in my 30s, and I adore them. They were a great comfort to me, I’ve always been close to my sister so as a result was close to them. I am their Godmother. Of course they couldn’t be a substitute to my own DC but we have such a close relationship. When they were teenagers, they moved in with me for a few months whilst Dsis struggled with depression. Then a couple of years later my elder niece moved back in for 4 months at age 17 due to rebellious behaviour that Dsis wasn’t coping with. They are now both brilliant young women, and both have babies. They aren’t particularly well-off, and have struggled with the cost of living recently. I’ve been very vocal of the fact that they will inherit my house. Maybe a mistake to tell them that but they are greatful and not entitled at all.

I am in great health and expect to be around for the forseeable, and have always planned to leave my house to my sister, or my nieces if she passes before me. My sister is younger than me, but has ill-health and chronic conditions that have worsened as of late. She is not at deaths door or anything but has told me full-well that she doubts she’ll make 70.

I have a husband now, married 5 years, I have moved in with him. I have a tenant in my property. The problem that has arisen is that he wants us to buy a holiday home in Spain, but doesn’t want to downsize his large Victorian house to fund it (worth £500,000+, bought in the 80s in an area that got gentrified) because he wants his 2 sons to inherit it. He is snobbish about the area of my house (one of the not so nice areas of the city, but it’s where I grew up and I’m fond of it!), and is incredibly vocal about it. He thinks I should ‘get rid’ of my house and buy us the holiday home with the money. I have asked him why he doesn’t just downsize his 4-bedroom, it’s just the 2 of us and his 4 granddaughter’s are pre-teens/teens so they don’t even come and stay anymore. And it’s always the same response, he wants his sons to inherit it and the hypothetical holiday home that he expects me to sell my beloved home to fund.

He actually said that since I don’t have DC and now live with him I don’t need the house. As somebody who tried for years to have kids, this hurt me a lot. He also fails to respect my close relationship with my nieces, and has actually said I should prioritise his adult kids over my 2 nieces. Prioritising his kids would mean selling my house to fund the holiday home so that he doesn’t have to downsize his big house that they are due to inherit.

I am finding the whole thing incredibly upsetting and I feel like he doesn’t respect me or my family. He’s made many a nasty comment about my sister’s mental health issues and has no sympathy for her physical health issues which he says are her own fault for smoking, it’s like her considers her and my nieces to just be worthless. I will add that the holiday home is all him, I am really not bothered and would rather just go on nice holidays around Europe without the stress of buying and maintaining a holiday home.

OP posts:
Bigdamnheroes · 07/01/2023 18:09

I would actually divorce him. What a cunt.

MistyLuna · 07/01/2023 18:09

OP — sorry for my long post. I agree with everyone else here. You don’t owe his children anything. They’re his responsibility. Yes, you married him, but they’re not your children. Legally, religiously, spiritually, morally — cut the pie whichever way you like, they’re not your children, not responsibility and you don’t owe them anything. (If you and DH were to divorce tomorrow, you’d be permitted to legally/morally/religiously marry his children. If they were actually your DCs, you wouldn’t. Im not suggesting you or anyone would; I’m just making a point here.) So to get things straight, they’re not your children.

There are two ways of interpreting what your DH has said/done: (1) The Good-will Interpretation and (2) The Cynical Interpretation.

On the Good-will Interpretation, he just loves his children, he thinks now that you’re married you should see them as your own, and that marriage with him trumps your own blood-relations, so you should write everything to them. He wants to go live somewhere nice with you; but he’d rather you sold yours because his house is worth more, and it means his children will get more when they inherit it. Yours isn’t so nice, so you should sell it, give 50% to him by buying joint property in Spain, and then eventually hand over the remaining 50% to his children. Even on the good-will interpretation, I’m struggling to see how he’s not plain selfish.

Now for the Cynical Interpretation. (And I must apologise in advance because you married him, so you obviously love him, and this will hurt.) He’s a manipulative, grabbing man who is happy to marry a woman only if she has her own property; and the fact that she has no kids makes it even more convenient because he can coerce her more easily emotionally into leaving everything to him and his children. To achieve this, he needs to make her give up all (or at least half) of what she owns to him and his children. One way of doing this would be to convince her that she ought to sell her property and buy another with him, where it’s joint ownership. This means that (in case he doesn’t succeed in convincing her to leave her property to his children) his children are guaranteed to get at least 50% of her assets — a portion they wouldn’t be entitled to without the joint ownership, which effectively means you’re handing over 50% of everything you own to him.

But she resists. So he then needs to manipulate her into thinking that her family are not worth her love and affection (nor her assets, which is what he’s really driving at). As for her attachment to her house, he needs to undermine that too (the neighbourhood’s not a nice one anyway, her tells her, and it’s no loss to giving it up).

I don’t know what his motives are. And I don’t think anyone other your DH knows what really goes on in his head. But if I were you, I’d prepare (legally) for all eventualities. I’d seek legal advice discreetly, and I’d write a will to whoever I want, but without his knowledge. In the meantime, if he ever brings up the holiday home, just buy time and say “mañana, mañana” until you figure out how you feel about him and where your relationship is heading. But if the Cynical Interpretation is correct, my guess is he’ll hang on in the hope that he’ll eventually get at least some of what he wants.

Finally, as some have suggested here, what happens if you go with his plans and you get divorced? You’d effectively have little to fall back on financially. You’re in a good place now, so don’t rush it. Also, you didn’t consider what would happen if you ever needed to go to a care home in older age or if you get ill. Do you have enough savings to cover that? Someone I know had to sell their home to fund their own care. If you buy a joint-ownership house in Spain, or you wrote your house in your nieces’ names now, it won’t be so easy to sell and access the cash you need for medical treatment or for care.

Oh and never move to Spain with him. You’ll be entirely isolated there in case he does turn out to be a manipulative, narcissistic turd. And their legal system is different to ours, so if he is a bad egg, it’ll be harder for you to fight back. Stay in the comfort of your own home, nearby loved family, and in a legal system you understand. That way, if shot hits the fan, you have all the help and support you need.

Seek legal advice & write a will to whom you please, but do so discreetly. Rethink your relationship with this man, and never sell your home for him or anyone else. It’s your safety — it’s all you have to fall back on, and it’s what you’ve spent your whole life working hard to own.

billy1966 · 07/01/2023 18:09

Nevermind31 · 07/01/2023 15:44

Whatever you do, please do not give up your house, which offers you financial independence and somewhere to go should you decide to leave. Do not give this up for something that is owned jointly.
also, are you happy?

This.

Sounds like you have married another nasty prick.

You sound like a truly wonderful woman who is a aunt and godmother that most people could only dream of for their children.

I really mean that.

Your contribution to your sister's children's wellbeing has been huge.

Start looking out for yourself and move away from this twat you have married.

Keep your plans close to your chest.
Accumulate some money and look at getting away from him.

Of course you would want them to inherit from you.

His adult children are nothing to you financially IMO.

MRex · 07/01/2023 18:10

This is what divorce is for @jaicobain, this kind of randomly unreasonable behaviour is exactly the reason why a no fault divorce exists.

comfortablylesslumpy · 07/01/2023 18:13

Blondeshavemorefun · 07/01/2023 17:50

Hrtt

if you went to go abroad lots then sell your house and buy the holiday home. In your name. And when you did it goes to your nieces

if you don’t care about abroad , assume as dh house will go to his kids. Fair enough. Then your house will go to your nieces

dh sounds an arse sorry

Spanish inheritance laws might not allow that -
Would need good advice

But OP you shouldn't be selling your home, full stop.

AnneElliott · 07/01/2023 18:13

How's he funding his half of this holiday home? Or is he expecting you pay for it all and it become a joint asset?

Definitely don't sell your house - you may need somewhere to go back to if this relationship doesn't work out.

Panama2 · 07/01/2023 18:15

If you intend to stay with him you need a watertight will together with a letter explaining why you have left your house to your nieces. Do you know what is in his wills has he made any provision for you should he die first?

AngelDelightUK · 07/01/2023 18:17

I don’t think I could stay with him as he’s got that attitude

fdgdfgdfgdfg · 07/01/2023 18:18

You've ended up with a wrongun again I'm afraid. I'd be getting some legal advice on how to protect your assets in a divorce, and then binning him.

Freddiesextrateeth · 07/01/2023 18:19

Fucking prick!
Make sure your will is water tight and finances in order, then divorce the self serving bastard.

Snailsaresweet · 07/01/2023 18:19

Update your will to make sure that your sister and (if she predeceases you) one or both of your nieces are executors, and send them copies of the will, which should also be lodged with a solicitor. Do a POA (power of attorney) asking your sister and, if she predeceases you, one or both of your nieces. Make sure they have a copy of this.

Testina · 07/01/2023 18:20

@Ameadowwalk “That’s such a shame that you are married to this man because now you need to figure out how to divorce him. I would take legal advice on how to safeguard your own property and get out of this marriage.”

You make that sound needlessly difficult. What’s to figure out? You start a no fault divorce and agree that as it’s a short marriage that you went into as older adults, you will both come out with the assets you went in with. Simple and just paperwork within a clearly defined process. Sure, if the OP has found marriage financially detrimental it’s worth balancing that via the Consent Order - but there’s nothing to “figure out” here - this is what divorce is for.

Velda · 07/01/2023 18:21

It’s perfectly fine for him to want his kids to inherit his house. It’s fine for you to want your nieces to inherit your house. It’s NOT fine for him to expect you to sell and buy a holiday home. Especially when he expects you to pay 100% of the holiday home purchase price but then he owns 50% of it! Why the hell does he think he’s entitled to joint ownership when you’ve paid for all of it?!

It also sounds like he isn’t making provision for you in the event that he dies first. His kids will inherit your current home and you’ll be out on the street unless you have your own house to go back to. That alone is an important reason to keep it.

You need to see a solicitor and make a cast iron will. Ensure that he doesn’t inherit your house and it goes directly to your nieces. And for gods sake don’t sell it!

amiold · 07/01/2023 18:21

Hmm I think he's being a nob

are you the same age?

If he dies first I assume you would benefit from his house and he hasn't got it agreed somewhere that it goes to his kids and not you??

FinallyHere · 07/01/2023 18:21

He’s made many a nasty comment about my sister’s mental health issues

a complete lack of respect for me and my family.

Famous MN saying, when someone shows you who they are, believe them.

Reigateforever · 07/01/2023 18:21

Do not sell and write your will.

TakeMe2Insanity · 07/01/2023 18:22

jaicobain · 07/01/2023 16:56

If I were to explain the situation to my nieces and put the house in their name now, I’m certain they would keep it as a home for me for the rest of my lifetime. DH would certainly divorce me.

But this says everything. Please start working out how to leave.

TiddlesTheTiger · 07/01/2023 18:23

Think how your nieces and sister will feel if they get nothing because your H has wangled everything for his sons.

If you need your assets for care expenses, in later years, that's one thing but if your assets are simply given to these people who care nothing for you, it will be so upsetting for your relatives who love you.

MysteryBelle · 07/01/2023 18:23

Absolutely not. Do not sell your house to fund his vacation home. That is insane.

Make sure he knows that your will states that your nieces will inherit your house. Then, you need to think seriously about whether to leave this man.

Nameneeded · 07/01/2023 18:23

Lots of red flags here. I would separate myself completely from him financially and make sure he is aware of it.

Flowersintheattic57 · 07/01/2023 18:24

Nurse with a purse comes to mind. You’re too good for him.

LCforlife · 07/01/2023 18:24

@jaicobain do you love him and want to remain with him?

Did you both make any legal arrangements re assets before you got married?

LemonTreeSkies · 07/01/2023 18:26

OP, do you have a Will made post-marriage leaving your house to your nieces?

sunshinesupermum · 07/01/2023 18:29

You need to stick up for yourself jaicobain. That house is your security and it provides you with your own income while you have tenants. Please make sure you draw up a will specifically stating that the house goes to your nieces upon the event of your death. If your husband doesn't like that it's his problem and not yours although he sounds a most unpleasant person.

Goldpaw · 07/01/2023 18:30

jaicobain · 07/01/2023 16:59

That too but there’s snobbery as well. My sister has had no end of mental health issues over the years and traumatic experiences. He sees her as scum of the earth who doesn’t work etc etc

Why on earth are you still with this awful man! He is horrible.