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A cautionary tale

4 replies

Lucky0707 · 19/12/2024 18:43

My mother started a relationship with a new man after divorce when I was a teen. We said at the time he was a moocher.
My mother died of cancer years later and left everything to her children. I should add that whilst my mother was in the hospice I went to check on her sister during her birthday only to find my mother's partner at the house all suited up and they were drinking champagne.
On checking the financial records for over a decade her partner contributed nothing and has lived off my mother. He however had legal rights. He cost us a fortune in legal fees and gained the right to stay in the house.
He has never let us in our mother's house and I have nothing of hers. He continued to see my mother's sister who paid all his legal expenses. We fell out with her over this matter and she became estranged from the family following her sending abusive texts. This year she committed suicide and has removed all family from her will.
I would say the moral of my tale is if someone enters your family and you just feel they are a wrong 'un don't grin an bear it.
In our case we have never grieved for our mother and our aunt may still of been alive. One poisonous individual destroyed our family.
Btw my mother's family are the well heeled side and have behaved like something off Jeremy Kyle.

OP posts:
SugarPlumpFairyCakes · 19/12/2024 18:45

But what could you have actually done about this chap when your mother became involved with him?

Kaleidoscopic101 · 19/12/2024 19:43

Happens time and time and time again I'm afraid ... Not to dismiss your pain in anyway but it's a bloody injustice that happens far too often and causes nothing but extended grief and generational financial and emotional damage. I hope you can find peace in this somehow

ChicLilacSeal · 04/01/2025 09:46

How did he manage to stay in the house if she left everything to you and they weren't married? Can you sell the house?

Lucky0707 · 04/01/2025 13:46

If you live with someone in their house for more than 2 years you have a legal right to challenge for a cut of the estate or a life interest in the property. Unfortunately regardless of the 15 years of bank statements I have showing he contributed nothing he still has a right to stay in the house or ask for up to 50% of the estate.
We argued he couldn't afford to run the house but then my aunt said she'd bankroll the upkeep of the property hence he has the right to stay there.

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