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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Inheritance argument with DP

728 replies

Closie · 09/07/2024 15:05

I’ll start with some background. DP and I have been together for 14 years, lived together for 10. We were both married before and had a son each from our previous relationships. His son is 28, my son is 27. I got divorced, my ex is alive and involved with DS always has been. DPs wife passed away.

Our current home is the home DP and his wife bought together before their son was born. When his wife died the life insurance paid off what was left of the mortgage, covered his sons uni costs and took them on holidays etc.
When I got divorced we sold our marital home, I saved my half and lived in a rental for 6 years as I couldn’t afford a mortgage alone. The money I saved has since been used for DS’ uni costs and gap year.

DP has decided we need to get our wills in order and a point of contention is the house we currently live in. He believes it should be left to his DS in entirety when we both die, his argument being that it was paid for first by his and his late wife’s hard work, then by his late wife’s life insurance so I haven’t actually contributed anything. I disagree, I’ve lived here for 10 years which has prevented me from having an asset of my own and I’ve contributed to upkeep and repairs. I think at the very least it should be 25/75 though ideally 33/66. We have agreed though that however it is split I should be allowed to continue living here if he were to die first.
He also thinks we should leave everything else we have (life insurance or pensions) to our respective children, I think I’m ok with this.
Now I’m not sure if this is clouding my judgement so I will mention that his
DS has recently inherited from his grandparents on his mother side, a 7 figure sum with which he has bought a house outright. Now I know that technically isn’t relevant but it certainly influences how I feel.

So AIBU to think the house should be split between our children in some way, or is he right?

OP posts:
Mrsttcno1 · 09/07/2024 15:09

I can see his point, the home was paid off by him and his ex wife, you’re not married and you never paid any of the balance for the house, plus no joint children, so I think it is pretty fair really. If you have been living in that house for 10 years you’ve surely saved a lot of money from not paying a mortgage so although there is no “asset” there should be a sum of money there to pass on to your child? If you’ve contributed towards upkeep and repairs then I could see maybe a 20/80 split but I can see where he is coming from, it sounds like a lot of the mortgage was paid off from his ex wifes life insurance, that is his child’s mother and so I’m sure she would want her child to benefit from that

bunnypenny · 09/07/2024 15:10

He’s right, he should leave the house to his son.

Whatevershallidowithmylife · 09/07/2024 15:11

Spend it all before you go, treat your kids and grandkids whilst you're here to see them enjoying it. You never know what life brings, it might all go on care home costs.

SoupDragon · 09/07/2024 15:12

There was nothing stopping you buying an investment property of your own.

Stainglasses · 09/07/2024 15:13

I’m with him.

really you should have talked about this 10 years ago. Then he could have sold it and you could have bought something together or worked it out that you didn’t invest in it in any way etc etc

TwinklyRoseTurtle · 09/07/2024 15:13

YABVU.

YourSnugHazelTraybake · 09/07/2024 15:13

Sorry but I think he's right. You don't own any part of the house, it was his in its entirety before you became a couple.

Squirrelblanket · 09/07/2024 15:14

Another on the side of your partner, sorry.

iamtheblcksheep · 09/07/2024 15:15

Unless you’re going to tell us you’ve dropped £100k on home improvements in the last ten years, no part of that house is yours.

User2460177 · 09/07/2024 15:15

I think he’s right. You’ve lived in the house rent free for years so could have saved money.

redskydarknight · 09/07/2024 15:15

I think DP is right. Living in this house hasn't prevented you buying a house of your own - you had 6 years of living on your own when you weren't able to do it.

I'd look at how much you have paid towards upkeep though and if you have paid towards the mortgage - if it's substantial this would strengthen the argument that you get a proportion of the house's value. I doubt it would be as much as you are suggesting though.

I would talk seriously with DP about what happens if he dies before you - will you be allowed to live in the house until your own death, for example?

LaurieFairyCake · 09/07/2024 15:15

What stopped you buying somewhere for the last ten years ?

It sounds like you've just spent all your money on your son ?

Closie · 09/07/2024 15:15

Stainglasses · 09/07/2024 15:13

I’m with him.

really you should have talked about this 10 years ago. Then he could have sold it and you could have bought something together or worked it out that you didn’t invest in it in any way etc etc

He would never sell it, we spoke about that early on (I was from a bigger town, he was in a smaller touristy town and I felt moving to my town would be easier), he loves his home and talks about future grandchildren coming to stay and reading them stories on the same window seat his wife read to their son on etc. He’s very attached.

OP posts:
Tel12 · 09/07/2024 15:16

I disagree, you are a partnership and your Ds should inherit a substantial portion. You need to get legal advice.

allthemiddlechildrenoftheworld · 09/07/2024 15:16

@Closie this reads that you only are with him for his money! did you not think of this before moving in??? you dont even appear to be married!

Closie · 09/07/2024 15:17

allthemiddlechildrenoftheworld · 09/07/2024 15:16

@Closie this reads that you only are with him for his money! did you not think of this before moving in??? you dont even appear to be married!

We aren’t married, this is a mutual decision.

Im not with him for money which is why it hasn’t come up!

OP posts:
Merryoldgoat · 09/07/2024 15:18

This is what marriage is for. You don’t get the benefits of a marriage if you don’t get married.

HermioneWeasley · 09/07/2024 15:19

Agree with others saying you’ve benefited from living rent free for 10 years so could have put that money into savings or investments.

PeloMom · 09/07/2024 15:19

im with your DH. His child lost his mother and he’s already inherited from her (eg paying off the house etc). Your child has both parents alive; it’s as if your exh dies and your DH expecting some of that inheritance to go to/ benefits in some way his child.

Closie · 09/07/2024 15:19

Merryoldgoat · 09/07/2024 15:18

This is what marriage is for. You don’t get the benefits of a marriage if you don’t get married.

Even if we were married his stance wouldn’t change on it effectively being “his and his wife’s home and I just live here” - he hasn’t said that but it’s how it feels.

OP posts:
FriendlyNeighbourhoodAccountant · 09/07/2024 15:20

I agree with your DP. You chose to spend yours on your DC's university and gap year. Had you chosen to inject those funds into your DP's house you'd have a point but you haven't.

DracoDormiensNumquamTittilandum · 09/07/2024 15:20

Have you not been saving all these years you haven't paid rent or mortgage? That's your nest egg for your DC, or it should be

BoudiccaOfSuburbia · 09/07/2024 15:20

How has living in his house prevented you from buying your own property? Surely it would have helped as you had a roof over your head while a tenant could have paid your mortgage!

I can see that it rankles as DSS doesn’t ‘need’ his Dad’s house, but I can fully understand your DP feeling strongly that he is the custodian of his late wife’s assets for his Ds, especially as his Ds lost his Mum at an early age. And it isn’t as if you arrived when he was a small child and provided step-mothering, he was an adult by the time you moved in with his Dad.

It’s hard that your divorce had such a detrimental effect on your finances, as it so often does. But I don’t think it is your DP’s job to compensate for that in respect of your Ds.

Will your Ds inherit from his Dad?

DracoDormiensNumquamTittilandum · 09/07/2024 15:20

Closie · 09/07/2024 15:19

Even if we were married his stance wouldn’t change on it effectively being “his and his wife’s home and I just live here” - he hasn’t said that but it’s how it feels.

If you were married he'd be legally incorrect though. As it stands it's his house entirely. You shouldn't have paid a penny to upkeep and repairs though.

DrinkFeckArseBrick · 09/07/2024 15:21

I can see why he wants to leave his house to his son but if that's the case then you should not have contributed to upkeep and repairs and umprovements. If ge wanted you to ha e Jo equity at all, not even a small share, then he should have been up front about this and not accepted any investment from you. This would be the starting point for any discussions I had with him. And then agree what you do going forward- how's it going to work next time the house needs a new kitchen or bathroom. Do you know how much money you've put into the house over the years vs how much money you've been able to save through not paying for rent? Do your children have a relationship? As that's another factor to consider, if they see themselves as brothers but one gets nothing and one gets everything then that might blow the relationship apart

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