Dividing up property after a realtionship breakdown

[Squirrel3]

My situation is that after seven years of being in a realtionship my partner and I have split. He had moved into my home and as things like the washing machine, beds furniture needed replacing we did so.

Now he has moved out he wants to take everything we bought together that isn't nailed down, including the bed and three piece suite (although he has threatened to rip out fitted units and carpets etc). I am disabled and I need a bed and somewhere to sit, I can't work and am living on income support so I can't easily replace these things.

He has already taken the tumbledryer, cooker, half the dishes, cultery, pots and pans etc. all of the garden furniture, tools, lawn mower, every TV in the house, ripped pictures from the walls, the bedroom furniture from two bedrooms (excluding the double bed so far).

Can he do this? What can I do about it? I would be grateful for any advice.

Hi Squirrel, I dont have any legal advice but just wanted to send you some sympathy .

I don't think he can just take whatever he wants, but am not sure of the leagl route.

Is it your prperty, would you be able t change the locks or ask a landlords permission to do so?xx

property you each owned before you lived together belongs to whoever bought it (unless given as a gift to the other of course)

property bought jointly belongs to both of you. There are two options

1. sell it all & split the money

or a better idea

1. make a list of jointly owned property & value (either cost when new or cost to replace, whichever is "fairer" - eg you might have paid £300 for a DVD player 5 years ago & could get one for £30 now, so fairer to use the £30, but if you bought a new bed a month ago then use the purchase price). Once you have the complete list then decide on a fair split of things. He can't just rip out fixtures & fittings under any circumstances though!

You don't say if you own or rent. If you own he may be able to claim a financial interest in it if he can show he contributed to its cost & upkeep etc. If he goes down this route you need legal advice ASAP. (You can probably get legal aid - check it out here)

The CAB have some info on things here - might be worth having a chat with them

Oh & change bthe lock pronto

thank you for your replies.

I own the house, he has never contributed towards the mortgage or other bills. Up until I was diagnosed with RSD (a condition that affects the central nervous system causing severe pain) I ran his business from home, doing all of the administration, accounts etc without payment.

As soon as it became clear that I would no longer be able to work and I needed a carer the relationship ended. Now I feel like he is 'adding insult to injury' by taking everything we bought together.

I did change the locks but while I was out he came to collect more stuff found he was unable to get in and deliberately snapped his keys in the locks so nobody could get in. I landed up having to phone a locksmith who had to change the locks etc resulting in a large bill I have to pay.

I have tried to phone the CAB throughout the past 2 days but they always seem to be busy. I don't have anymore fight left in me TBH. I know that legally he might have the right to take things but morally?????

He is being an @rse!!!

Oh yes, he is harassing me, he keeps on sending countless nasty texts etc. I have called the police just in case he gets violent etc. I haven't pressed charges but I do have a crime number.

He has taken property that I had before I met him too.

I am just sick of it, I have enough to worry about with coping with the RSD without dealing with all of this. Sorry to sound a bit sorry for myself but I am fed up, lol.

Do you think I should drill several holes in his boat which is still on my drive? Just kidding!

better still send him a bill for renting the space to store his boat

Seriously though, check out if you get legal aid & get a solicitor to deal with it. If he has taken things that belong to YOU before you met him, then I'm sorry that is theft, I'd report it to the police.

Oh believe me I have thought about charging him rent for storing the boat, I think up to the value of the sofa and the bed should do it don't you?

I don't mind him having the items that were mine before I met him as his children use them and tbh I am not that petty, I am not using them and I wouldn't want to take anything from his children so they can have them.

I am going to try to and ask a friend/carer to help me get to the local CAB to ask advice about the bed and sofa.

Thank you for your messages and support.

Hi - you can also email the citizens advice so try online...you might get an answer quicker

xxx

If he bought the boat when you were together then maybe it is half yours?