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Original poster

Legal action against former partner - help!

41 replies

DontKnowAnymore123 · 07/10/2024 16:28

Hi all,

I’m the guy here.

Rented a property with my Ex - GF in March 2024. Relationship ended 5 weeks later. I had left the property.

We were in a 12 month tenancy agreement due to expire in March 2025. I continued to pay half the rent (as my exgf was not able to work due to health issues) just for the simple fact that I was named on the tenancy so still had my legal obligations.

Cut long story short, we surrendered the tenancy last week and the landlord advised me that I could look to reclaim the costs of what I paid towards the rent from the courts. Can anyone signpost me or give advice? We’re talking over £2k here in contributions.

thanks all.

OP posts:
Dozycuntlaters · 07/10/2024 16:33

Why would you be claiming costs for rental paid though? You were on the tenancy so like you said it's your legal obligation. Who do you think you would be claiming costs from? If your ex isn't working how would she pay you back?

Original poster
DontKnowAnymore123 · 07/10/2024 16:34

Dozycuntlaters · 07/10/2024 16:33

Why would you be claiming costs for rental paid though? You were on the tenancy so like you said it's your legal obligation. Who do you think you would be claiming costs from? If your ex isn't working how would she pay you back?

Not my problem. Her family will have to pay…

OP posts:
Dozycuntlaters · 07/10/2024 16:36

Not my problem. Her family will have to pay…
Of course it's your problem. You were on the tenancy agreement. To be honest you're lucky you are not having to pay until March. The relationship cant have been great if you only managed living together for 5 weeks so why on earth did you sign a tenancy agreement. Sorry and I know it's a pain, but it is absolutely your problem.

Blusterydaytodaypoohbear · 07/10/2024 16:37

Why would her family be responsible for her debt? You were in a tenancy.. That was your financial responsibility.. You paid it.. End of surely?

DreadPirateRobots · 07/10/2024 16:40

You can't get blood from a stone, and you can't get money she doesn't have from your ex. Her family have no responsibility for her debts and are under no obligation whatsoever to pay towards them.

For £2k it is 100% not worth it to go to court. Especially since the person you'd be claiming against doesn't have the money to give you. You'll spend more than that on legal advice and your own time.

Any lawyer will tell you that going to court is a thing that you should only do when you have literally no other choice.

Hadalifeonce · 07/10/2024 16:46

So, you paid for your share of rent on an agreement that you signed?
You were lucky your LL released you early from your agreement.
What exactly do you want to sue your ex for?

Nameftgigb · 07/10/2024 16:48

Why on earth do you think her family is responsible for your rent?

speedmop · 07/10/2024 16:54

the landlord doesn’t know his arse from his elbow

how bizarre

HangDai · 07/10/2024 16:54

Of course her family wouldn't be liable!

That landlord is talking absolute bollocks.

mumsickles · 07/10/2024 16:57

Sounds like she dodged a bullet with you! Your landlord is talking rubbish and you are naive to believe it. Of course her family aren't liable? A quick google would have told you that if you aren't sure how law works.

speedmop · 07/10/2024 16:58

i wonder how adults like the OP and this landlord get in in life, I really do

2Old2Tango · 07/10/2024 16:59

I'm not surprised your GF wanted out if this is your attitude.

You signed a joint tenancy so you were responsible for 50% of the rent, regardless of whether you were living there. That was your obligation. You can't just sign a tenancy and then walk away from paying it FFS!

Ponderingwindow · 07/10/2024 17:01

Your landlord doesn’t know what he is talking about.
Family is not responsible for debt.

if you didn’t want to keep paying the rent, the thing to do would have been to talk to the landlord about ending the tenancy early and both of you move out.

MilesOfCarpetTiles · 07/10/2024 17:07

You committed to pay it when you signed the contract.
On what basis would you be seeking to 'reclaim' and who from? That's literally what a rental agreement is. You agreed (with the landlord) to rent it.

Presumably there were no clauses added to say "payment is dependent on your relationship status"? Because I can't imagine any LL agreeing that?

shesamarshmallow · 08/10/2024 12:41

2Old2Tango · 07/10/2024 16:59

I'm not surprised your GF wanted out if this is your attitude.

You signed a joint tenancy so you were responsible for 50% of the rent, regardless of whether you were living there. That was your obligation. You can't just sign a tenancy and then walk away from paying it FFS!

In a joint tenancy all tenants are jointly and severally liable meaning you can each be held responsible for paying the whole rent. So OP could have been held responsible for 100% of it.

Sorry but it’s too late to do anything about this now.

HeddaGarbled · 08/10/2024 12:43

Nah, don’t be shitty. She’s clearly poor.

ItReallyWasAgathaAllAlong · 08/10/2024 12:44

Please, please, please get a very expensive solicitor to take this case for you because you’re telling out your arse so may as well be penalised for your horrible attitude while you’re at it.

TheCultureHusks · 08/10/2024 12:46

Sorry - your landlord is talking crap!

Her family have nothing to do with it.

Your name was on the tenancy and you paid. It’s done and dusted. You could have moved back at any point - the time to do something was then, to say to your ex you weren’t willing to pay for a place you weren’t living in. You accepted the terms, so to speak, and paid!

It’s totally not worth court for £2k especially as you would very likely lose.

I suspect your landlord was trying to make you feel better, but he sounds a bit thick.

DeireadhFomhair · 08/10/2024 12:46

Your thoughts on your responsibilities seems to have completely flipped!
You paid rent because 1) you were named on tenancy, and 2) your exGF couldn't afford it on her own - Now you want to go to court to reclaim that money & you don't care who pays (as exGF can't).
😒

TheCultureHusks · 08/10/2024 12:47

DontKnowAnymore123 · 07/10/2024 16:34

Not my problem. Her family will have to pay…

Show quote history

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 they really, really won’t.

PrettyPines · 08/10/2024 12:47

You had a responsibility to pay the rent because you are on the tenancy, why would her family have that responsibility over you. You're delusional and sound horrible to boot.

user1477249785 · 08/10/2024 12:49

You sound nice.

Don't sign a tenancy that you don't want to be bound by. Your landlord is wrong.

OSF · 08/10/2024 12:49

You were right the first time around. Don't make yourself look like a dick trying to claim back something you legally agreed to pay (and was liable for).

Hoppinggreen · 08/10/2024 12:49

DontKnowAnymore123 · 07/10/2024 16:34

Not my problem. Her family will have to pay…

Show quote history

No they won't
In the unlikely event of you taking this to court and winning even IF your ex is found liable then her family won't have to pay.
No need to mention your sex, we don't care and its usually very easy to tell anyway

Brefugee · 08/10/2024 12:50

DontKnowAnymore123 · 07/10/2024 16:34

Not my problem. Her family will have to pay…

Show quote history

is she below the age of majority? why would her family have to pay?