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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not pay them rent?

73 replies

throughiwatch · 29/12/2023 19:01

Me and my ex moved into his parents two years ago. He does freelance and I lost my job in covid and we couldn’t afford central London anymore.

They are very wealthy and basically gave us an entire floor to ourselves and never asked for rent. They also live in London so it was an easy decision to accept when they offered.

Me and my partner have since broken up and it wasn’t pleasant (no cheating involved) and I’ve moved out. I’ve come over to give them my key and they’ve advised me that I need to pay them £5K to cover rent for the last two months.

I know they are doing this to hurt me as it was me who initiated the breakup, surely I don’t owe them though. No contract was signed.

OP posts:
Itslegitimatesalvage · 29/12/2023 19:02

Tell them to do one. You owe nothing. If they want rent, they can collect it from their kid who is still living there. Seriously, there is nothing they can do. Just say no. You never have to see or speak to them again.

m00rfarm · 29/12/2023 19:03

Ignore them.
What are they going to do - if there was no contract, and no written confirmation of rent, then why do you owe them anything?
You should perhaps pay a proportion of the utilities for the period you were there, but that should be resolved with your ex.

AlisonDonut · 29/12/2023 19:03

Say 'yeah sure I'll put the cheque in the post' then walk away and don't give them your new address.

LittleGreenDragons · 29/12/2023 19:04

they’ve advised me that I need to pay them £5K to cover rent for the last two months.

Ask them for your copy of the rental contract with your signature on it first.

TheWillowTrees · 29/12/2023 19:05

They can go whistle. Don’t engage.

C1N1C · 29/12/2023 19:08

No, you don't owe them anything... but morally, maybe.

You lived there rent free, put them out, and broke their son's heart. You get to walk away and wash your hands of this, and they get to pick up the pieces. They're innocents in all this.

Did you thank them during/after? Did you apologise to them?

Others may disagree, but at the very least I'd send a token gift to thank them for their support and time, and apologise for how things ended.

Tinkerbyebye · 29/12/2023 19:09

Ask them where the contract is that you BOTH signed , there isn’t one so jogon, or collect it from their son

TheWillowTrees · 29/12/2023 19:17

C1N1C · 29/12/2023 19:08

No, you don't owe them anything... but morally, maybe.

You lived there rent free, put them out, and broke their son's heart. You get to walk away and wash your hands of this, and they get to pick up the pieces. They're innocents in all this.

Did you thank them during/after? Did you apologise to them?

Others may disagree, but at the very least I'd send a token gift to thank them for their support and time, and apologise for how things ended.

Couldn’t disagree more strongly with this. Why on earth should she apologise? She’s not morally obliged to stay with the son forever.

Gifts might be interpreted as accepting they have a claim. Really bad idea.

Catza · 29/12/2023 19:20

No contract - no rent. They cannot charge you for anything without prior agreement. My partner's client tried to pull a similar stint, they were laughed out of court.

SoSad44 · 29/12/2023 19:29

Sure legally you owe them nothing. But you also paid no rent for two years in London, that musr have saved you a ton? Bit weird and rude that you never contributed at all.

deragod · 29/12/2023 19:37

LittleGreenDragons · 29/12/2023 19:04

they’ve advised me that I need to pay them £5K to cover rent for the last two months.

Ask them for your copy of the rental contract with your signature on it first.

Edited

Also, ask them where is your proof that they secured deposit in approved scheme. Failure to do so means won case in small claims and payout of maximum three rents...

Cerealkiller4U · 29/12/2023 19:38

I have a slightly different view

but surely there’s a verbal contract? And all it would take is the parents to explain this in court?

I mean I wouldn’t pay it and let them take you to court though!!! Then fight it. I suspect they’re just bluffing. But I do wonder if they could get away with it….

YetMoreNewBeginnings · 29/12/2023 19:42

Cerealkiller4U · 29/12/2023 19:38

I have a slightly different view

but surely there’s a verbal contract? And all it would take is the parents to explain this in court?

I mean I wouldn’t pay it and let them take you to court though!!! Then fight it. I suspect they’re just bluffing. But I do wonder if they could get away with it….

If there was a verbal contract they’d have to explain why they hadn’t collected anything, or evicted the OP, in the last 2 years.

5k for 2 months would be way more than the annual tax free amount you can get for having a lodger so if they claim the OP has been paying then they’d be inviting the tax man onto themselves

MintJulia · 29/12/2023 19:43

If there is no contract, I'd decline their request politely.

GreyBlackLove · 29/12/2023 19:43

Cerealkiller4U · 29/12/2023 19:38

I have a slightly different view

but surely there’s a verbal contract? And all it would take is the parents to explain this in court?

I mean I wouldn’t pay it and let them take you to court though!!! Then fight it. I suspect they’re just bluffing. But I do wonder if they could get away with it….

They'd need evidence - payments over the last 2 years for example.

GrumpyPanda · 29/12/2023 19:44

Cerealkiller4U · 29/12/2023 19:38

I have a slightly different view

but surely there’s a verbal contract? And all it would take is the parents to explain this in court?

I mean I wouldn’t pay it and let them take you to court though!!! Then fight it. I suspect they’re just bluffing. But I do wonder if they could get away with it….

Verbal contracts are a thing, sure. But in this case, when there's no record of either OP or her ex ever having paid rent for the entire two years they'd been there? Fuggedaboutit.

Itslegitimatesalvage · 29/12/2023 19:45

Cerealkiller4U · 29/12/2023 19:38

I have a slightly different view

but surely there’s a verbal contract? And all it would take is the parents to explain this in court?

I mean I wouldn’t pay it and let them take you to court though!!! Then fight it. I suspect they’re just bluffing. But I do wonder if they could get away with it….

And how do they explain that there was an agreement to pay rent, but then no rent was paid and they only came after her for an arbitrary 2 months after she broke up with their precious kid?

They wouldn’t win. A verbal agreement, with no further proof of any payments (and the kid probably hasn’t been making payments so they can’t say it was a recent agreement) won’t go anywhere. It is so obviously sour grapes and revenge.

TomatoSandwiches · 29/12/2023 19:45

I'd laugh and tell them to sod off.

Original poster
throughiwatch · 29/12/2023 19:47

C1N1C · 29/12/2023 19:08

No, you don't owe them anything... but morally, maybe.

You lived there rent free, put them out, and broke their son's heart. You get to walk away and wash your hands of this, and they get to pick up the pieces. They're innocents in all this.

Did you thank them during/after? Did you apologise to them?

Others may disagree, but at the very least I'd send a token gift to thank them for their support and time, and apologise for how things ended.

Apologise for what?

OP posts:
Santaisscouringindeedfornewjob · 29/12/2023 19:47

Don't even joke about sending a cheque. Don't imply ever that any payment was ever owed... Just post the key and walk away. Block them all.

Mirrorballsocial · 29/12/2023 19:50

They are cheeky fuckers! What are they using as evidence for the amount owed? Did you have any kind if written agreement?

It's particularly galling that the are so wealthy yet wat 5k from you after a break up.

Cerealkiller4U · 29/12/2023 19:52

YetMoreNewBeginnings · 29/12/2023 19:42

If there was a verbal contract they’d have to explain why they hadn’t collected anything, or evicted the OP, in the last 2 years.

5k for 2 months would be way more than the annual tax free amount you can get for having a lodger so if they claim the OP has been paying then they’d be inviting the tax man onto themselves

Show quote history

Ahh! Yeah of course! Didn’t think of that. Clever

GonnaBeYoniThisChristmas · 29/12/2023 20:05

You poor love. What horrible people. You had a lucky escape from them as in laws.

There is no way that you owe them, or they are entitled to any rent from you.

You can explain that once nicely: “There was no agreement we pay any rent - I’m not paying any rent”. I’d do that in an email with your thanks and kind regards.

After that you ignore them.

NalafromtheLionKing · 29/12/2023 20:09

Cerealkiller4U · 29/12/2023 19:38

I have a slightly different view

but surely there’s a verbal contract? And all it would take is the parents to explain this in court?

I mean I wouldn’t pay it and let them take you to court though!!! Then fight it. I suspect they’re just bluffing. But I do wonder if they could get away with it….

A verbal contract which was unspoken and which had no agreed terms eg amount of rent? Good luck enforcing that 😁

youveturnedupwelldone · 29/12/2023 20:14

I love when the armchair lawyers come out!

OP you owe them nothing either morally or monetary.

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