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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Break down of relationship - am I doing the right thing?

215 replies

xxp · 10/01/2023 21:44

So I have been with my partner for 12 years but I am now contemplating ending the relationship. I do genuinely love this man but being together is proving to be very difficult because of his behaviour.

Context: We have a joint mortgage together in our beautiful home, 2 cats and a shared car so I am quite hesitant to end this but I want some opinions on what I am going through and if I have enough reason to call it quits. Over the last few months I’ve found his behaviour to be quite controlling. To keep this relatively short I will bullet point
⁃ he turned the heating and hot water off to get back at me one day, said that he was paying for it and he didn’t want to pay that day… he knew I needed a shower before going out
⁃ Mum and siblings visited for 2 weeks at Christmas and I haven’t seen them for 4 years, he made the whole time hell. Telling me I was neglecting him however he did not want to take part in any of our plans (his choice). He also made it very difficult with the shared car, he demanded it when he knew I had plans. I gave him the car when asked, no problem with me and it then sat outside the pub for a whole day… so he didn’t actually need it, just wanted to be difficult.
⁃ Our car was keyed on 23rd dec when I was visiting elderly grandparents, admittedly the area isn’t the best but this could have happened anywhere. Told me I wasn’t to park it there anymore and I did today to quickly drop off some messages and he seen… he’s now come home and cancelled the car insurance, and asked for the payment to be removed from our joint account although this was meant to be a joint financial commitment. I cannot afford this on my own which he knows.
⁃ When we fall out, he knows it hurts me and he takes out on our cats: they are mainly indoor cats but venture outside for about 10 minutes a day. One day we fell out and he put them outside in snow for hours and I didn’t know until I returned home later
⁃ I was I’ll with the flu recently and he refused to let me sleep one night… blared the tv so loud we had s noise complain from the neighbour, put crisps in my hair until I eventually had to sleep in another room

This is just a small selection of things he’s done to me in the last few weeks but I feel like I am going crazy and I’ve had enough of his behaviour. I think I need to leave. Any thoughts on my situation would be appreciated, I think I just need reassurance I am doing the right thing. I guess I am just scared about how I will cope financially after separation on my income alone

OP posts:
KangarooKenny · 10/01/2023 21:46

What a bastard. You and your cats need to leave,

Prisonbreak · 10/01/2023 21:47

Leave leave leave!

Aquamarine1029 · 10/01/2023 21:47

He's a fucking psycho. Do whatever it takes to leave as quickly as possible, and get those poor cats away from him.

planefullofotters · 10/01/2023 21:48

This is abuse and you are right to leave.

You are allowed to leave any relationship because you are unhappy. It’s not about having ‘enough’ reason beyond that - you get to choose. But, for the record, you have many many reasons here. This is not ok or normal or anything you should have to live with.

KitchenDiscos · 10/01/2023 21:49

Jesus Christ, run and don’t look back OP!

justanothermummma · 10/01/2023 21:50

Reach out to a women's charity for support, go and stay with family. Just get out of there.

Bigshop · 10/01/2023 21:51

you need to leave him.
And get the cats microchipped in your name if you haven’t already.
He sounds unhinged.

thistimelastweek · 10/01/2023 21:51

He sounds deranged

GabriellaMontez · 10/01/2023 21:53

Don't hesitate. See a solicitor as soon as possible. Don't let him know. He's not your friend. He's not going to make this easy.

What you've described is cruel and disgusting.

Mumofoneson5 · 10/01/2023 21:54

You poor thing. Please leave, you deserve so much more.

BotherThat · 10/01/2023 21:55

Please take the cats when you go

determinedtomakethiswork · 10/01/2023 21:56

Good grief, you don't need us to tell you to leave. Get yourself out of there as soon as you can.

Want2beme · 10/01/2023 21:58

Is there anyone you can go to? You definitely would be doing to right thing to take your cats and leave him. Does he keep you from seeing your family? Do they know anything about your situation? I imagine they witnessed his disgusting behavior at Christmas.

ihatesoaps · 10/01/2023 21:58

Oh my dear good god

Leave him
And leave him now NOW

Quitelikeit · 10/01/2023 21:59

What a nasty, spiteful, pathetic excuse for a human being.

mycatsanutter · 10/01/2023 21:59

Omg I don't know where to start , cats in the snow , stopping you from sleeping ?! He is cruel and controlling and he will get worse . Please start making plans to leave asap.

mycatsanutter · 10/01/2023 22:00

Please keep posting here so people can help you , I think you are going to need support . I can't see him being reasonable when you tell him it's over .

StarDolphins · 10/01/2023 22:00

Never in my life have I said this on here but….

Leave him & never ever look back. You deserve so much better. What a controlling, vile man he is. Absolutely horrid behaviour.

LammasEve · 10/01/2023 22:00

Good God, just on the basis of the way he treated the cats I'd be leaving - with the cats. Please don't leave the poor cats with him, he's unbalanced to say the least.

Domino20 · 10/01/2023 22:04

Calling him 'controlling' is probably the nicest thing to be said about him. He's clearly an utter psyco. Please leave and be careful and secretive with your plans for doing so. Good luck x

BatshitBanshee · 10/01/2023 22:04

He's a psychopath. Get your stuff together, put cats microchips in your name, make sure you have all your documents you need, change all your passwords and go before he gets wind of your plans. Enlist a solicitor to deal with him if you have a share in property but do not let on where you have gone. He's insane.

pawprintseverywhere · 10/01/2023 22:05

Please
Go
Asap and take the cats. To take his anger out on a defenceless creature.. it'll not be long before he's gets physical with you. Is he spying on you RE the car? Knowing it was outside your grandmothers ect? Absolute nutjob. Run and don't look back...

MummyofTw0 · 10/01/2023 22:07

Please leave him

Purplecatshopaholic · 10/01/2023 22:10

God that level of controlling behaviour is truly chilling. And that’s before you factor in cruelty to animals. Seriously get out now, this will not get better. I fear for you if you don’t, and I don’t say that lightly.

Elena567 · 10/01/2023 22:11

How old is he OP?

He sounds like a bitter, spiteful and horrible person.