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Divorce/separation

Here you'll find divorce help and support from other Mners. For legal advice, you may find Advice Now guides useful.

ExH intimidating me in my home

10 replies

sophmum31 · 04/10/2023 10:54

I'm in an absolute mess of a situation and can't see how to get out of it. Split with my exH in 2020. His choice and he moved out (although I also felt the same way). He owns the house outright and is the only one named on the deeds/mortgage. We have been divorced since December 2022. I stayed in the marital home with the children and have the right to stay here until the house is sold (he got all of the cash in the divorce and my share was all from the sale of the home so I do not have any funds until the house is sold). We have a buyer and the sale is going through at the moment but my Ex has dragged his feet on everything and so it is taking a long time. He has moved on and brought another house with his girlfriend and they have started a new life about 30 minutes away.

In April 2022 I applied and was granted a non-molestation order against him due to his bullying of myself in the home and the affect this had on our DD17 and DS13. During the divorce proceedings the judge was very strict about dates he would be allowed to attend the house to sort his stuff out - he was to be allowed 4 days and the final day 5 days before completion - this was due to the non molestation order being in place. He did not efficiently use these dates, he would come and take 2 boxes at a time and nothing really got sorted.

Unfortunately the non-mol ran out in April 2023 (never in my worst nightmares did I think I would still be in the house after that point but here we are). At first things were pretty quiet, he was careful in his behaviour, only attended the house to pick up our son and usually with his Girlfriend present. As the sale of the house draws nearer his behaviour is again escalating. For the past few weeks he has taken to turning up at the house 1/2 days per week under the guise of sorting stuff out, however, he does very very little, he gets his laptop out and sits in the kitchen working for up to 6 hours at a time. I work from home so am also usually here. Maybe he will take 1-2 boxes from the garage and wastes time with things such as changing lightblubs (that I have replaced) for other ones, he even changed the pull cord that you use to turn the light on in the downstairs toilet. He also has drilled big holes in the wall to try and remove a cable from the wall which you can get on ebay for £4. the holes still remain.

In June my DD17 and I went on holiday. He used this as an opportunity to attend the house most days, again did not sort any of his stuff out but inspected every inch of the house and came up with a list of areas in the house he feels I have damaged. The house has never been in a good state of repair, he did everything himself and every job was left unfinished. This list includes things such as a tree dying in the garden, scuffs on the wall in the hallway (which hasn't been decorated for 10 years), some paint rubbed off the handrails up the stairs, and some pulls in the carpets from our cats (cats which he gave permission for our daughter to have and I never wanted). He is now trying to claim that I owe him compensation for these damaged items despite many of them being in that condition before he left and the rest being general wear and tear. The house is also sold so has no impact on him (we did have to lower the asking price but this was due to us listing the house the exact week the interest rates started rising last year).

Anyway, now he is free to come to the house he is using each visit as an opportunity to threaten me with court over this perceived damage. His very presence in the home is intimidating and uncomfortable. I had a stoke a few weeks ago and they have discovered cardio issues which I'm sure are caused by the horrific stress I have been under for so long. He knows about this and I have asked him repeatedly to consider the stress he is causing. I also have a new partner (we have been together over 18 months) and he repeatedly has demanded he is not allowed to visit me in the house and that he will get him prosecuted from trespass if he does.

He has moved on and can live a life free of me in his new home with his new girlfriend, yet over 3 years on I still can not have any control of my own living situation. I am not comfortable in my own home as he can turn up at any time. The divorce and non-molestation proceedings have cost me £45k so far and I simply cannot afford to go back to court again as he has told me he would fight a non molestation order if I applied again so would have to go to a full trial. It could be a matter of weeks until the house is sold - but it could also still fall through at any point. I am just so worn down by it all.

OP posts:
CatMattress · 04/10/2023 10:58

Can you just call the police and state harassment?

GingerIsBest · 04/10/2023 10:59

Can you get a new non molestation order? Or at least try - he says he'll fight it, but that's not necessarily true, just a tactic to avoid you even trying.

Why is he allowed into th house anyway? Yes, he owns it, but you are divorced and he does not live there. I'm pretty sure there's no reason that the house owner should or could be allowed access whenever they like.

I think you should, at the very least, pay for an hour of a solicitor's time. I find it hard to believe that yo have to let him in. In effect, he's your landlord currently. You are allowed quiet enjoyment of your home.

sophmum31 · 04/10/2023 11:43

Thank you for the replies, he would definitely fight another non-mol. He has told me this repeatedly. To be honest I have been trying to keep the peace with the hopeful house sale getting closer, I am worried that escalating the situation will cause him to delay or stop the sale leaving us stuck in this awful horrific place for even longer. We are hopefully a matter of weeks away - if I knew how long I could probably suck it up and put up with it but we really have no idea yet and the sale could still fall through up to exchange (its been sold since June).

I will contact my solicitor today for some advice!

OP posts:
Isheabastard · 04/10/2023 11:59

I’m not divorced yet , but have moved out although 80% of my stuff is still in the marital home.

Although he says I can go anytime I like, but he conveniently leaves all the doors I have keys to double locked from the inside and has changed the lock on the door he uses. He’s also put in an internal security camera when he goes away.

He also has changed all of the passwords to the Wi-Fi.I haven’t made a fuss and will get my stuff at a later date.

can you do something similar when you are away, and turn off Wi-Fi to stop him using it?

GingerIsBest · 04/10/2023 12:55

The problem OP is that attempting to appease men like this is not possible because they don't want you to appease them. they want you to be punished for having a life without them, for choosing things that they would not choose, for being someone who won't take their shit. So appeasement is no more helpful to you than it was to Neville Chamberlain.

Good call re a solicitor. Just getting some advice on the legalities is a good first step. I'd also consider calling Women's Aid.

Paula223344 · 04/10/2023 21:40

One

Paula223344 · 04/10/2023 21:44

One

Quitelikeit · 04/10/2023 21:49

god move into a air B&B for a few weeks!

message his gf to tell her he is spending hours at your home

take a video of the house condition before you leave

Summer2424 · 04/10/2023 22:00

@sophmum31
I'm so sorry you're going through this xx
You exh is an absolute bully.
Stay strong, you will get through this, every day is a step closer to you and your children living in your new home, you will get there soon xx

Itsybitsydoodah · 06/10/2023 01:19

I'd definitely be raising it with his girlfriend as to why he has such an obsession with you when he should be focused on her.
Though to be honest I would make as much noise and be as awkward as humanly possible everytime he's in the house. I also wouldnt have any space available for him to sit down and work. Sometimes you have to fight fire with fire.

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