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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to think about ending my marriage because OH is vetoeing kitchen plans?

38 replies

GarageFlower123 · 14/06/2026 12:26

I know. Sounds shallow, right? Bit of background. We got together quite late (mid 30s) and cracked on with having 2 kids. They're now 14 and 17. We've always kept our money separate for everything, we earn about the same (£35k each) so tend to split most monthly expenses 50/50. Thing is, I've got a lot more savings than him due to some inheritance I got. It's not a huge amount, and much of it is invested in my pension at the moment. We own our house and cars outright, so have no debts. I've always hated our house - it's ex council, and needs updating. However it's bigger than anything else we could afford, and the location is good. I've already don't the bathroom - I paid for it all (£10k) and put new windows in. I would like the house much more if I could get the kitchen done, and maybe a small extension. Ive been thinking about drawing £30k of my pension lump sum at 55 (in 2 years) to pay for this. OH just thinks it's a waste of time and money though. Every time I bring it up, we row about it. I'm not even asking him to pay towards it, I just want to live in a nicely finished house. It's doing my head in and making me feel really boxed in. We tend not to talk about money and our future at all, although I have tried because I would like to have an idea of where we stand at retirement. He just won't engage though, assumes the worst - that we haven't got any money (I've got about £250k invested at the moment!). I'm seriously considering leaving him although the issue there is that I paid for 80% of the house - him 20% - but he's still entitled to 50% if we split. The resentment is really building 🤬

OP posts:
mumofoneAloneandwell · 14/06/2026 12:38

Ltb x

TeenLifeMum · 14/06/2026 12:41

What’s his reasoning? In our house it would be a case of “I really want to redo the kitchen so what’s the best way for us to do that? I’m able to take some money from my pension…” and have a conversation. If he won’t engage then that’s a relationship issue. You saying this matters to you should be enough.

OfficerChurlish · 14/06/2026 12:47

If it's impossible for him to have a conversation with you and your attempts to talk about something as innocuous as home improvements routinely escalate into rows, I'd say the relationship hasn't got much future. If he knows how important this is to you and how unhappy you are (he doesn't have to understand WHY , just listen and believe you and take the situation seriously) then I don't think he's giving either the relationship or you the proper care one would expect from a loving, collaborative life partner.

MatildaTheCat · 14/06/2026 12:47

Your house is usually your biggest asset so investing in it makes perfect sense financially ( up to a point). Could he be swayed by this argument?

Im absolutely with you but jumping to thoughts of divorce is quite serious so maybe invest in some marriage counselling first?

Gingernaut · 14/06/2026 12:50

It make sense to make decisions like this before you reach pension age

Setting the house up in order to enjoy retirement/old age is a good idea

GarageFlower123 · 14/06/2026 12:53

TeenLifeMum · 14/06/2026 12:41

What’s his reasoning? In our house it would be a case of “I really want to redo the kitchen so what’s the best way for us to do that? I’m able to take some money from my pension…” and have a conversation. If he won’t engage then that’s a relationship issue. You saying this matters to you should be enough.

Completely agree. Problem is, we're pretty good day to day. Our physical relationship is still amazing. It's just we can't talk about anything grown up, like pensions and home improvements. I think I know we're doomed...it's just a matter of time really.

OP posts:
CheeseyOnionPie · 14/06/2026 12:54

Does he know how much you have in your pension? I’d be suspicious given his reluctance to talk about retirement planning and for you to spend some of your pot on the kitchen that he’s not close to nothing saved and is relying on your pot for his retirement.

Sesquioxides · 14/06/2026 12:55

If you divorce, he'll get half of your pension though (especially if it transpires he hasn't got anything much saved - which it sounds like could be the reason he's worrying about you drawing down a lump sum) and you still won't have a nice kitchen because you'll have to sell the house and split the money. Can you afford a new house for yourself if you have to start again? Is a new kitchen really worth all of that? Also where are you that you can get a new kitchen and extension for £35k? You're likely looking at much higher costs - these sort of projects spiral. I'm sorry you're unhappy but I think your DH is being sensible, even if he won't talk to you about retirement.

Striveforcompetence · 14/06/2026 12:55

I’d be really careful here. If he has nothing, he could go after your pension too.
Why haven’t you protected your own shares in the house?

OneThreadOnlybyN · 14/06/2026 12:58

GarageFlower123 · 14/06/2026 12:53

Completely agree. Problem is, we're pretty good day to day. Our physical relationship is still amazing. It's just we can't talk about anything grown up, like pensions and home improvements. I think I know we're doomed...it's just a matter of time really.

Then you really need to think about how wise it is to plough more money into the house when you won't get any extra when you sell.

I couldn't be bothered with being in a marriage like yours. I'd divorce now & not waste more years on him.

RedToothBrush · 14/06/2026 12:59

You know this isn't about the kitchen don't you?

The fact you still split your money like this after so many years of marriage is part of the problem. It's not joint money. It's your money or his money, so it's effectively a mentality that you still aren't a financial partnership and it's about trust issues and control issues surrounding money.

Keep in mind he will have half of all your money including your inheritance.

Honeyhonay · 14/06/2026 12:59

If you own your house and cars outright why can you not save for the kitchen work rather than withdraw from your pension?

oliviaAustin · 14/06/2026 13:01

Striveforcompetence · 14/06/2026 12:55

I’d be really careful here. If he has nothing, he could go after your pension too.
Why haven’t you protected your own shares in the house?

This. He can take 50% of the house…. And the savings, investments and your pensions possibly.

Id just ask him why he’s being a dick about it when I’m willing to pay. Or see a marriage counsellor.

Apileofballyhoo · 14/06/2026 13:03

Won't it be worse if you invest more into the house and he gets 50% of that too? I'd go to a solicitor if I were you and find out how to protect your assets. Sounds like you have a good pension and he doesn't? How long ago did you put 80% into the house?

WhereverIlaymycatthatsmyhome · 14/06/2026 13:06

I don’t understand. Why would he get 50% of house if you split? Did you not ring fence the 80% you put down? 😱

I would seriously think about splitting and having your own place. Definitely don’t marry him!

oliviaAustin · 14/06/2026 13:07

WhereverIlaymycatthatsmyhome · 14/06/2026 13:06

I don’t understand. Why would he get 50% of house if you split? Did you not ring fence the 80% you put down? 😱

I would seriously think about splitting and having your own place. Definitely don’t marry him!

Prenups aren’t legally enforceable in the UK and they are married, no?

Gowlett · 14/06/2026 13:13

He’s just embarrassed because he’s not the financially sorted one. My DH is also unable to talk about money or the future. He doesn’t know how money works & thinks in a very limited way about it. I’m no accountancy whizz but I take care of bills, tax etc… I think you should get your kitchen. But, I know where you’re at. It’s like talking to a toddler about trigonometry! Very frustrating, indeed…

Pinkissmart · 14/06/2026 13:15

So, he doesn’t know you have loads of money invested?
You want to use some for the kitchen, you want to remove a year’s salary from savings. This is concerning to him, and you are angry because you want a nice kitchen- more than you want a marriage?

cloudtreecarpet · 14/06/2026 13:16

I think if you are thinking of leaving him over this then your relationship can't be that great.
It sort of boils down to whether you love him more than a new kitchen?

I do realise it's more than that because it's communication around money etc but you do have to ask yourself the fundamental question about whether you love him or a nice house/kitchen more?

GarageFlower123 · 14/06/2026 13:18

Apileofballyhoo · 14/06/2026 13:03

Won't it be worse if you invest more into the house and he gets 50% of that too? I'd go to a solicitor if I were you and find out how to protect your assets. Sounds like you have a good pension and he doesn't? How long ago did you put 80% into the house?

I think this is a good move in the short term. Thank you.

OP posts:
GoAndAskDaddy · 14/06/2026 13:21

My husband and I have separate money and have done for over 25 years. The benefit of this is you can spend it on what you want without asking! If you get on well day to day, why would you divorce over this?

WhereverIlaymycatthatsmyhome · 14/06/2026 13:21

oliviaAustin · 14/06/2026 13:07

Prenups aren’t legally enforceable in the UK and they are married, no?

Doh! It’s absolutely clear in the OP but I still missed that OP is married.

Apologies. What a mess! Definitely legal advice.

chirrupybird · 14/06/2026 13:25

If you don't mind paying don't ask tell him. I've got xy builder coming to give me a price for the work I'm having done on the kitchen.

Lavenderandbrown · 14/06/2026 13:30

I’m contemplating a bathroom redo it’s really the only room in my house that needs an overhaul. The rest altho dated compared
to magazines or Instagram is very classically solidly built and nicely decorated by me.
every time I bring it up my perfectly reasonable mostly accommodating DH becomes the opposite of that. At one point he recommended using a builder 2 hrs away. Yea right.

see a solicitor about the house being ringfenced to protect your investment. it may or may not be too late but ask.

do the kitchen. You get to make all
the decisions and you will enjoy it. it’s terrible to put on hold a very resonable improvement because of relationship fragility. I experienced this in my first marriage. A kitchen is the ♥️ of a home and you and dc will enjoy it very much

can you under legal advisement protect
your inheritance? Gift an annual
amout to your children? Somehow move it so it’s not gone but also not going to be divided if you do split?

GoodkneeBadKnee · 14/06/2026 13:30

GoAndAskDaddy · 14/06/2026 13:21

My husband and I have separate money and have done for over 25 years. The benefit of this is you can spend it on what you want without asking! If you get on well day to day, why would you divorce over this?

Same here. I wanted a new kitchen and bathroom so I paid for them! Although DH was on board for both, which is what the OP wants from her OH.