Husband won't add me on his deeds!

[Lucinda32]

Hi everyone I just wondered if you can give me some advice as I am not sure what to think! Basically my hubby is from abroad and owns an apartment in his home country. He's moved to the UK and been living for with me for here for the last few years. We have a house together here and my mum gave us money for the deposit. We are both on the mortgage with a 50/50 split. He recently said that he may sell his apartment and get a buy to let property. He however won't put me on the deeds for this as he inherited the money from that property before we met and it's just his money. I'm not bothered about the money side despite what it may sound like I just feel a bit hurt he obviously feels we may break up! I know if it was over here I would be entitled to half anyway but as it's abroad I won't be! If I'm being unreasonable please tell me!

Thanks very much.

Did you exclude your mums deposit money from the 50/50 part - because you should

So what's yours is his, and what's his is his own?

Lovely.

I'd tell him to do one. You are married and should share.
I would never have done this with my inheritance, I saw it as much of my dhs as mine.
He shouldn't even be asked to put your name on the deeds nor consider it as his house, its just as much yours.
It has nothing to do with when he inherited the money.
He doesn't sound like a nice man to think like this OP

No I totally trusted him but wish we had signed something to state I get the money from my mum back! I've said I may draw something like that up and he agrees he will sign it! It's just made mefeel laugh upset . Thanks very much for your help. He made me feel like I was in the wrong for suggesting it!

He may have acquired the overseas property before marriage but I believe that, if he sells up and uses the proceeds to buy another, it would be regarded as a marital asset..... acquired during the marriage. Could be worth checking.

Personally, I don't have a problem with people ring fencing pre owned assets prior to marriage so long as they are scrupulously equal about money and property within the marriage. I think financial dependence has big pitfalls. Hope you have your own nest egg saved up.

Thanks v much it's good to hear different opinions. I may try and speak to him again but he seems to get angry and thinks I'm totally in the wrong even for thinking about it!

I think you need to get that initial deposit money ringfenced pretty damn quick. Go and see a solicitor - find out what you can do. Your DH can't have it both ways.

I will do thank you very much. I'm going to try and sort it ASAP. I wish he had told me before hand. We did sign something to say I put in the deposit but I'm not sure if it means I would get it back.

OP - Why do you assume that because he won't add you to the deeds, he thinks you might split up? If he owned his own business, would you be expecting the shares in that business to be listed 50/50 at Companies House? There is no difference. Is this not paranoia/insecurity, cos I don't see from your post where you get him thinking you might split up from.

I am a bit different here as I think an inheritance does belong to the beneficiary. Similarly, I hope you had written into the deeds that the deposit from your mum came from your mum. Any profit made is divisible 50/50.

DH mum died and left him cash. I just couldn't ever demand or expect any of that cash. It is for DH to use as he pleases.

If he has a buy to let property he will pay income tax on the rent. If you are both in the same tax band, so be it. If you pay different rates of tax it would be sensible to have the BTL in the name of the person on the lower tax band. While this might be a step too far if you are the one paying less tax, perhaps he would be interested to know that the family unit would pay less tax on the rent if the flat is in joint names.

I know if it was over here I would be entitled to half anyway but as it's abroad I won't be!

That doesn't sound right to me. If you get divorced, and lawyers decide the financial split, I don't think it will make any difference whether his property is here or abroad. On the other hand, I've read that if an asset is acquired before marriage and isn't mixed in with marital assets, it doesn't have to be shared in a divorce. (Might be particularly or only true if it's an inheritance.)

In fact I think getting him to sign to say your mothers contribution belongs to you only will make no difference, because the deposit has gone into the marital home it is now irreversibly a marital asset. (However I'm not a lawyer, take everything I say with a pinch of salt.)

Maybe a fair compromise is to ask him to put an amount equal to your mother's contribution into the marital home? I don't see how he can claim that is unfair.