Is there a time limit for registering an interest in a house?

[chamenanger]

This is not my usual screen name so if you recognise me don't out me!

I lived with my x in a flat he owned from 2000 to end of 2001. At that time I (foolishly as it turns out) wanted to get married and get a joint mortgage but he wouldn't allow it.

End of 2001 we moved in to a house he bought solely on his own, even though at that point I was still working and had a reasonably good salary. He just wanted to 100% own the house I guess. he didn't want to risk letting me 'in'.

Anyway, after baby was born realised that he was abusive, but I was pretty worn down and depressed. Can't believe it now but I even ended up having another child with him even though he bullied me into giving up my job. I was a sahm mum of two and he believed he was doing me a favour putting a roof over my head.

Finally in 2007 I was so miserable we walked out with nothing, didn't even pack. he had become physically aggressive by that point. (Had been putting up with verbal, emotional and financial abuse for years though, but I have no proof of any of that).

He has been utterly determined to punish me for leaving him by not paying any maintenance. This is not the straightforward issue that people think it always is. There are so many different sets of circumstance and believe me, if I could get maintenance out of him, i would.

Now that 3 years have passed and he is still living in that house that he owns, would it be too late to register an interest in the house?!

It's not that I want to take half of that house (very bad memories) I just would like to have some leverage over him, if I do end up going to court to try to get maintenance out of him.

I have a very low paid job. My earning potential is not great.

Ps, I took the children with me when I left obviously, in case that part was unclear.

Were you maaried ?

No we never married thankfully. Child born before 2003 so it made it easier for me to protect the children from him. (re automaticl PR only being brought in for named but unmarried fathers later).

He did want to get married but only when he realised I was getting serious about leaving and he knew he would have more rights over children if married.

There was a girl on another thread recently whose inlaws wanted her to live apart from her boyfriend for the first six months of their baby's life, and somebody advised that that was very 'clever' of them, as it would mean that it couldn't be shown that the home was intended to be a family home.

I lived with my x in a flat before we moved into the house, and I brought two babies home from the hospital to that house. My savings were used up buying curtains, furniture, groceries etc... council tax.

Obviously I've no way of proving that. I thought that not being married I could still register an interest in the house. That is different from demanding it be sold so that I be entitled to a share.

You might be able to but I think your rights are less secure than if you had been married. Have you been to CAB ?

you would probably need tos how you contributed to the mortgage in some way. doesnt sound likely but you need to ask a solicitor. trust of lands act applies if not married.

Unless you can prove you contributed towards the mortgage/utility bills or paid for significant alterations to the house (eg. you paid for a new kitchen) then you don't have a leg to stand on.

Unfair? From your position yes. From where he's sitting, no.

My situation was similar to yours, not married, his house, abusive relationship, I fled to refuge and my solicitor advised me of this www.edwardsduthie.com/financial-application-for-a-child-under-schedule-1.html

My ex started paying maintenance though so I didn't go down that route. HTH