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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

GF and her past

20 replies

RickA · 25/08/2024 16:52

So - gf and I live together in my house. We've been together 1.5 years and she's lived with me for a year. We get on great - no problems. The problem is with her cleaning up her past messes. She still owns a house (which is mortgaged) with her ex partner. They had lived there together as a couple for a couple of years, then split but stayed roommates due to expenses. She moved from that living arrangement directly to me after dating for 6 months.

She's incurred some debt by helping her grown kids (mostly from before she knew me but it continued while we were first together) - that's pretty much stopped now but our agreement is that she can stay here without paying any of the bills - mortgage. electric water etc. I pay it all but she does buy most of the groceries. I pay when we go out. The idea is she can use the money she has saved to pay off her debts which she is doing. I am financially secure so I can afford it.

We had a big discussion about this a few months ago and I said I didn't like the fact that she was staying here without contributing - while supporting her kids - so indirectly I was supporting them. One is in her 30s, the other in his 40s. She agreed - I think reluctantly - but she still does odd things that most of us do with our kids so that's not really an issue now. I just want her to pay off her debt so we can be equal financial partners and think about future plans. I kind of feel on hold at the moment.

Here's the big issue. She still owns a house with her ex - and her grown son lives there (not his dad). This has been going on for almost a year since he arrived back in the country with no job / money and nowhere to stay. I didn't want him moving in with us in my small house (I let him stay here for the first 2 weeks having never met him before...), so she organised for him to stay there in her old house. Been over 9 months now. He is paying half the expenses while he lives there (she was paying them in the beginning). He is working now, finally, and paying his share. So she has no expenses at her old house except she still pays the internet bill for some reason (her ex threatened to not pay the mortgage if she cut off the internet - why doesn't he get his own internet??). Anyway that's a minor issue but I think it speaks to her approach.

I just don't like the fact that she still owns this property with her ex - and she seems in no rush to sort the situation out. Several times after discussions she agrees to move forwards RE selling it but I think now her son is there she won't force the issue. She agreed several times to address it by such and such a date but that date passes and nothing. If I mention it she thinks I'm pressuring her, and says if we split up then has nowhere to go.

So that's where I am - I'm not happy about it. It might have been a necessity for a few months to let her son get his feet on the ground but now he works (for over 4 months now) and has a car I think it's time for him to move out on his own and for her to sell this house and move on. She's unable to buy her own place - or share a downpayment on a new house with me until she sells this house and gets her equity out of it.

So AIBU?

OP posts:
SantasRubiksCube · 25/08/2024 16:59

I'm guessing she's in no rush to change anything as she knows she has a pretty cushty deal at the moment. I know you say she has debts but if she's financially supporting her grown up children and is living rent/bill free off of you then she can't be that much in financial difficulty. In your shoes I'd be very careful I wasn't being taken advantage of, your not being unreasonable in expecting her to contribute to where she is living with you, doesn't sound fair at all.

OMGsamesame · 25/08/2024 17:00

If you were a woman talking about a male partner ALL the replies would say cocklodger

Lindjam · 25/08/2024 17:01

I think she saw you coming mate.

SunflowersMidwinter · 25/08/2024 17:03

OMG OP she's a cockless lodger and taking advantage of you.
Get rid and find someone who brings something to the table

RickA · 25/08/2024 17:04

"Cockless lodger" lol!

OP posts:
FloofPaws · 25/08/2024 17:07

Is she retired or does she work? Just wondering if she's able to support herself in the future, with a 40's year old child she must be close to retirement .... anyway, yes she should be getting her shit together - even if that's buying her own place and her son living there paying the mortgage so she's at least got property of her own

Calamitousness · 25/08/2024 17:08

Well she’s effectively renting her house presumably which overs her half of mortgage. That all seems ok to me. It’s still an asset that she can liquidate at some point.
what would seem reasonable is to agree a date in the future, say 6 months or 1year, she puts the house on market allowing bother her ex and son plenty of time to make other arrangements. Meanwhile ask her to contribute more to your bills if you want but I don’t think you can dictate how she spends her money. Ensure you feel your deal is fair with you and the rest is up to her.

ActualChips · 25/08/2024 17:20

You have several threads about this woman, it's clearly not working out. She's using you for free housing and saying she'd have 'nowhere to go' when the relationship ends, despite owning a house 😄 Who could be bothered with this nonsense in their 60s?

samanthablues · 25/08/2024 17:27

Ladies: This is what happens when you move in with a man and financially depend on him: you have Nowhere to go if things go apes-hit.

RickA · 25/08/2024 17:39

She works (although she is retirement age) in order to pay off the debts she incurred open behalf of her kids. One thing I didn't express well is it bothers me that she thinks if her and I end up spitting up she'll just go back to that house out of necessity. Wouldn't most people in that situation want their own place? Not move back to share a house with an ex lover? She was more determined RE forcing the sale of her house before her son turned up. her ex wants to stay in the house - well when people split up there are consequences. He either needs to buy her out or they sell it. I feel our relationship is in limbo because of this.

OP posts:
Wakeywake · 25/08/2024 17:41

This lady must be in her 60s, right? I wouldn't sell the house if I was her either, she won't be able to get a mortgage now unless she's got huge equity, at least she's got half of an asset that's appreciating in value.

But you should ask her to contribute fairly to your household expenses and stop sponging off you.

BabaYetu · 25/08/2024 17:49

She should contribute equally (or an equal proportion of her income) to your joint household.

That way, what she does with her shard ownership of the other house has absolutely nothing to do with you, nor does how she chooses to subsidise her adult children.

You wouldn’t be taken advantage of, she deals with her ex and her children as she sees fit, everyone wins.

OnlyFannys · 25/08/2024 17:59

She is taking advantage of you, I would tell her she either needs to pay her way or move it. She is in no rush to deal with it because this situation works better for her so unless there are some consequences I doubt anything will change

Dotto · 25/08/2024 18:08

You've been with your girlfriend for only 18 months and you don't like how she conducts her financial affairs (which are none of your business). I think it's best you split up.

FOJN · 25/08/2024 18:21

I understand why she doesn't want to sell her previous home at the moment but as she is not incurring any expenses by keeping it (apart from internet) then I think she needs to pay her way at your house.

Helping your children out if you can afford to is a lovely thing to do but she has accrued debt to do it which doesn't sound very sensible.

The house is an asset for her but her ex doesn't sound very cooperative so I would be wary about how that situation could go south too.

In your shoes I would be careful to protect my own financial security if you are going to continue the relationship.

In reality she's taking the piss and it would probably be best if you cut your losses.

TwinklyNight · 25/08/2024 18:34

It probably would be better if you make a differant agreement between you, if things seem like you end up loosing money. Something that is within her means. She can always move to her own house if you are unhappy financially, and just not live together.

LardyDee · 25/08/2024 18:48

samanthablues · 25/08/2024 17:27

Ladies: This is what happens when you move in with a man and financially depend on him: you have Nowhere to go if things go apes-hit.

you have Nowhere to go if things go apes-hit he sees through your bullshit and cries fannylodger!

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 25/08/2024 18:51

Having just read your other threads on your girlfriend - couldn't you at least call her your partner considering you live together? girlfriend makes her sound about 19 and she's not ! you admit she works tho she should be retired.

Anyway, the relationship just isn't making you happy, 3 different threads in 18 months or so, why bother - life is too short.

I am sure she will be very happy living in her house with her adult son ( and x partner ? )

GivingitToGod · 25/08/2024 18:59

Wakeywake · 25/08/2024 17:41

This lady must be in her 60s, right? I wouldn't sell the house if I was her either, she won't be able to get a mortgage now unless she's got huge equity, at least she's got half of an asset that's appreciating in value.

But you should ask her to contribute fairly to your household expenses and stop sponging off you.

Totally agree with this

samanthablues · 26/08/2024 09:01

LardyDee · 25/08/2024 18:48

you have Nowhere to go if things go apes-hit he sees through your bullshit and cries fannylodger!

“Fanny lodger”, that’s a new one 🤣😂🤣

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