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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Affair and left penniless

1000 replies

Newchapterbeckons · 27/02/2024 08:56

Please advise. My sister is with me now, her partner of 20 years has just left her and the children for another woman.

They live in a house jointly owned, but my sister has no other assets or savings, she hasn’t worked for nearly two decades as she supported him and raised their dc. Four children aged 13-19.

He has moved out, and has put the house on the market, she is shell shocked and inconsolable. What happens now? He has threatened to cut her off and stop paying for food, petrol and bills. Can he do that?

We had no idea he controlled all of the money in this way. She is devastated. What can I do to support her?

She has no money for legal advice, but has had the free hour.

For 15 years we have asked her to get married for this very reason, and he refused. Can anyone advise what she can do.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
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shockthemonkey · 27/02/2024 17:28

Dear OP, this is next-level nastiness I can hardly get my head around. You sound beside yourself with worry and your sister must be in all her states. I am so sorry this is happening, and seething with rage against that vile man.
I hope you are able to help your sister without driving yourself into the ground in the process. I know how it feels when a sibling is on the brink.

urbanbuddha · 27/02/2024 17:30

I think you should go to the local police, explain the state your sister is in, tell them about the financial shenanigans and ask what happens with cases like this.

Cerealkiller4U · 27/02/2024 17:31

Newchapterbeckons · 27/02/2024 10:43

So are the pension credits attached to child benefit? I am amazed he has been just this calculating and literally screwed her over in every way possible.

Yes. It says that on the child benefits pages that they’ll pay towards your contributions.

Ydkiml · 27/02/2024 17:31

Think your an amazing sister .

WithACatLikeTread · 27/02/2024 17:32

Newchapterbeckons · 27/02/2024 16:48

My sister considered getting a job a few years ago but the childcare and holiday care for 4dc made it all but pointless. How do other people manage to work full time with 4 children? Her dp was dead against it and not supportive, and wasn’t prepared to help on top of the 70 odd hours a week he works, so she just couldn’t do it.

She was talking about training as a teacher when her youngest whom is only now old enough to leave, but obviously this situation has changed everything.

In between shopping, cleaning, doing the laundry for six and dealing with all the activities, homework and admin she was always busy and tired. It’s not like she has spent 20 years doing nothing, she has raised four children.

Being honest I think she is going to struggle to get a job. Many her age and over struggle to get a new job if they are made redundant etc. Twenty years of not working makes her very undesirable. I can't see it being very easy.

Frumpitydoo · 27/02/2024 17:33

Please get her to a doctor for sedatives. She is suffering so much, I'm so sorry.

Also this will be Daily Mail fodder, beware OP.

MandyMotherOfBrian · 27/02/2024 17:34

Newchapterbeckons · 27/02/2024 17:20

Not autism, ADHD. He leaves things on, forgets baths, misses buses, needs a lot of managing. He has epic meltdowns as well as he finds secondary school so difficult. I can’t even begin to explain how exhausting it has been meeting the needs of multiple children without support from dp and without a break.

She only ended up with 4dc because he insisted on a son.

Insisted, did he now. He’s sounding more and more of a cunt.

tellmewhenthespaceshiplandscoz · 27/02/2024 17:34

Resilience · 27/02/2024 15:41

If you work in a field that involves domestic abuse you become used to seeing patterns.

Learned helplessness is one of them. It's often presented by the perpetrator as the victim being lazy or like a child, despite the fact that they have absolutely encouraged this to happen and sometimes systematically set out to destroy the victim's confidence or belief in their own judgment. The victim OTOH will often present it as a choice - because who wants to admit that they are being pushed into something they don't want to do by a partner they don't want to leave? Particularly if they've been convinced it's best for the DC etc. That's assuming they even recognise they're being manipulated of course. When DC are old enough for the victim to work, by that point the victim is so passive they can't change anything. They may still present it to the outside world as a choice though because even very damaged victims have pride. It's a really naive view to think genuine victims all present as timid broken individuals. Some are the exact opposite despite being completely unable to change things.

Excellent post

I'd recommend reading The Gift Of Fear for a few posters on this thread.

AInightingale · 27/02/2024 17:34

baileybrosbuildingandloan · 27/02/2024 16:16

I think he fits into that bracket of b***d man who has planned this from the start. He has used one woman to birth and raise his children with no intention of a permanent relationship with them. Once he feels the kids are old enough he has buggered off, and cares not one jot what happens to her.
Your D Sis needs to find her fight OP. Not to contest the split or save the house, but for herself. Her future, and that of the kids. Sounds like he is brainwashing and gaslighting them, too, so she needs to be prepared for a lot of flying crap. She needs to put one foot infront of the other, and move forward slowly. It will all sort out, in the end.

Yep. Sis is 50 now, which just says it all. Menopause - less sex -thinks oh well, as a man I'm entitled to that so I'll just fuck off and find myself a willing partner. It's hardly an uncommon scenario though this man seems to have gone about it with quite a breathtaking level of ruthlessness.

HumanRightsAreHumanRights · 27/02/2024 17:35

When my ex left I sat on the floor for a couple of days, shocked to my core.

I didn't realise I'd been financially abused as well as emotionally and completely isolated over 20 odd years so at the point when he left I no longer knew anyone at all, including my own family as he'd persuaded me to cut contact with them years before.

My doctor explained to me that such a sudden and destructive breakup of a long term relationship (was a marriage in my case) is like a traumatic death of a spouse and that you need time to grieve, not only for the loss of the person, but for the loss of what you believed (that being part of the traumatic bit).

My ex had cleared out my accounts, sold my most valuable possessions and remortgaged the house to the max before leaving and run up bills, so I had an endless stream of debt collectors turning up looking for money which came as shock after shock.

This was back before financial abuse was recognised as a crime.

At first, I really did think I'd never get over it as my whole world was unrecognisable.
Every plan I'd had the for the future suddenly meant nothing because they'd included him.

It took me months to slowly realise how abused I'd been and how it had snuck up on me over years as my life had slowly shrunk until it was basically just him and what he wanted.

Over time though, I started to realise little things, like being able to choose what I wanted to eat, or when to turn lights on/off, when I could sleep or where I could go, were things normal, non abused people got to do and that he wasn't the wonderful man I'd thought.

Within a year I realised I'd never been so happy since before I'd met him.
Sometimes I'd come to a new realisation about something he had destroyed for me and get briefly down about it, but then I'd remember he was gone and I could live a life that made me happy and I'd end up better than before.

He's been gone for over a decade now, I barely even think of him except at odd times like reading this post and it doesn't hurt me at all.

She will get over this and eventually realise that the great life she thought she had wasn't actually so great.

It might help her stop texting if she understands that right now, she probably sounds unhinged and that all her texts are doing is giving him proof that she is unbalanced.

I know it's devastating, but she needs to have a bath/shower, put on her favourite perfume, make sure the bedding has been washed so it doesn't smell of him and put her chin up.

She deserves better than him.
She is better than him.
She needs to know that.

BirthdayRainbow · 27/02/2024 17:35

I am so sorry for you @Newchapterbeckons as it is a shock for you plus sorry for your sister. I'm also sorry for the posters who are being so spiteful that they have no empathy or emotional intelligence.

I have stayed at home with my children for 22 years, a joint decision and we were both happy. I looked after three children and he worked. I am now divorcing him and he is acting like he isn't the person I thought he was. He's also been absolutely disgusting with the children but they are 18 and over and can see how he's been. They are supporting me. When one gets married you should be able to trust your spouse to always do the right thing by you and the children otherwise what's the point in getting married ?

Those of you who think you have life all sewn up and have everything sorted, I hope you're right. Those of you not married, not access to money take this as a lesson and look after yourself. A decent man will understand why you'd want the reassurance.

Gloriosaford · 27/02/2024 17:35

What a despicable man.
As furious as you must be with him I would try to be calm civil & non accusatory in your communications with him. That was he will see you as an ally and give you info which may give useful insights into his thought processes & likely next moves etc

Frumpitydoo · 27/02/2024 17:36

Also, you might need to section her if her mental state is really bad and she is actively suicidal. I'm so sorry for you all.

IFollowRivers · 27/02/2024 17:36

Why are so many posters so horrid. The bottom has fallen out of this woman's world and people are piling in because she appeared to have found a degree of joy in homemaking.

Shame on you. Walk a mile in someone else's shoes - then judge.

Cerealkiller4U · 27/02/2024 17:38

Newchapterbeckons · 27/02/2024 11:16

It’s genuinely like her world is over. It’s not just man leaves woman. Not to her, she says she is almost fifty and just can not see how she can start again.

I am just hoping to god there is some equity in the house. What happens if there isn’t or it’s so small? I don’t know what she can do nowadays for a career. It is daunting starting again.

I’d there isn’t equity. Then there isn’t and she’ll have to start pulling on her big girl pants.

She’ll need help to do so. But she’s got children…she can’t just stop and stop caring for them. I’m sorry but she cant

if her own daughter is drinking herself into an incredibly dangerous situations. Then she needs help too.

Some women sink. Some swim.

tellmewhenthespaceshiplandscoz · 27/02/2024 17:39

Wow

So some posters know someone who was a lazy SAHM so that means anyone in the position OPs sister is in is therefore definitely a work shy benefit scrounger?

Confused
Cerealkiller4U · 27/02/2024 17:39

Newchapterbeckons · 27/02/2024 13:30

I have been going through everything with my sister. I have had to be quite girl with her, because I need her to get it together so we can work out what to do.

The free advice I am sorry to say was worse than useless. The woman was very judgemental and said my sister has legally put herself in a precarious position by not getting married, and basically there isn’t anything they can do. There appears to be no protection at all. Even in this day and age.

So anyone expecting help from that particular avenue may find it’s a dead end.

Legally though she’s right. I’m sorry to say.

Bishopsgirl · 27/02/2024 17:41

@IFollowRivers Well said!

Needanewnamebeingwatched · 27/02/2024 17:42

This has got to go down a financial abuse and controlling and coercive behaviour sure the police would investigate 🔎

justasking111 · 27/02/2024 17:44

This happened to a friend her husband borrowed every penny against two houses they owned, bought a house outright for his mistress and him. He also because they had a company didn't PAYE tax or VAT. he then buggered off abroad with mistress and money.

She dodged bailiffs for months while she set herself up and got benefits arranged. Hid her car at a neighbours so they couldn't repossess it.

Her weight dropped to a size that she was wearing her 12 year old daughters clothes weighing under 7 stone.

But she survived. Whereas he's dead now.

Thinking2022 · 27/02/2024 17:45

Can you go with her to another law firm or even two or free as they almost all will offer one hour of free advice. This way you can begin to pick together a strategy for your sister. There is quite a bit of helpful information on various law firms' websites too which may be helpful. The first thing you can help her to do is to create a spreadsheet of her outgoings. Secondly, she will need a time line- when she met her partner, when they moved in together; dates she did work and her role; date of birth of each child; if she remembers date roughly when they discussed if she would return to work/ what they discussed; and so on. I think she needs to know there is hope and if you can take her to the GP the GP maybe able to refer her for CBT. I think if he is made aware of his obligations and that he cannot simply sell and that she does not need to agree to viewings just yet (but cant act unreasonably) then he may start behaving a little better .

See for example https://www.lindsays.co.uk/news-and-insights/insights/can-you-be-forced-to-sell-your-home-as-a-result-of-separation-or-divorce
Firstly, if a couple are married or in a civil partnership and the property is owned only by one person or the tenancy is in the name of only one person, the person who owns the house or holds the tenancy has the right to stay there. In addition, they cannot force out their spouse or civil partner. A “non-entitled” spouse or civil partner has the right to occupy the family home, along with any children. Even if the house is sold to a third party, the non-entitled spouse or civil partner has the right to continue to live there.
If the property owner wishes to sell it, they would have to obtain the consent of their spouse or civil partner. If that consent is unreasonably withheld then a court would have to dispense with his/her consent.

Lindsays | Can you be forced to sell your home as a result of separation or…

When a relationship ends there may be concerns about being forced out of the family home, but there is some protection in place for separating couples

https://www.lindsays.co.uk/news-and-insights/insights/can-you-be-forced-to-sell-your-home-as-a-result-of-separation-or-divorce

EasternEcho · 27/02/2024 17:45

Dear OP, please ignore the posters who are busy derailing the thread by blaming your sister and/or trying to imply that you are somehow withholding or distorting facts. You do not owe them any explanations. I don't have any other advice that previous posters have already given you. You are a very good sister, and I hope your sister gets through this and comes out on the other side a much stronger person. I am sure that with your help and taking it one day at a time, she will.

urbanbuddha · 27/02/2024 17:46

First hit on Google for skills refined while working as a stay at home mother to 4 children;

time management
planning
prioritisation skills
crisis management
problem solving
communication
negotiation
project management
event management and planning
mentoring

Notheninkynonk · 27/02/2024 17:46

tellmewhenthespaceshiplandscoz · 27/02/2024 17:39

Wow

So some posters know someone who was a lazy SAHM so that means anyone in the position OPs sister is in is therefore definitely a work shy benefit scrounger?

Confused

MN generally holds this view of SAHPs.

trekking1 · 27/02/2024 17:47

Needanewnamebeingwatched · 27/02/2024 17:42

This has got to go down a financial abuse and controlling and coercive behaviour sure the police would investigate 🔎

As if. They don't even investigate home burglaries

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