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Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

No heating

31 replies

BlackFrancis · 06/12/2010 11:29

We have no heating, which would be fine if this was just one of those things out of the blue but it isn't we live in a beautiful old cottage and even the heating working last year it was still very cold, we moved in last spring while I was pregnant, we hadn't lived together before and the heating situation was a bit of a running joke at OHs old place he contracted away and was rarely at home so the heating was never on and towels and bedding always had a damp smell his friends always had a dig about it and I vividly remember one say when we moved and the baby was coming ''ah you'll have to have the heating n now ha ha''......seemingly not.

Baby came last october, we had a rayburn and weren't totally familiar with how it worked so I kept saying to OH to test it and run it before we brought the baby home, I was 2 weeks overdue the last week I spent at my parents near the hospital while OH was at work, I asked him if the heating was working he said yes. I had a shitty birth ended failed forceps and an emergency C under general anesthetic, OH saw the whole thing as an inconvience really he wanted me to leave hospital a day early because he wanted to get home and didn't want sleep at my parents or hospital again I was full of morphine and couldn't walk so FFS. So on our return with our tiny son no heating and it wouldn't work I was distraught and spent the next 48hours in the living room in front of the wood burner OH got angry and said I was overreacting.

This year has been awful, I was diagnosed with PND in the Spring OH didn't accept I was ill and feels if I put some effort in I would be ok, I was put on anti depressants and visited by a specialist nurse every few weeks. Things improved I made friends and got a part time job although still strained we seemed to find a happy medium. My finances have been a constant fighting point, the pregnancy wasn't planned I was working contracting on good money but had moved into my Mums for a few months after spliting with my ex who had emigrated to OZ during this time I added to some student debt I owed so when I fell pregnant was making significant progress with the debt of around 10K I also had a horse on loan from friends this is yet another good old excuse for a row.

By the summer I'd secured a part time job to coincide with the end of my maternity pay and would cover my loan repayments and horse costs OH pays bills etc and effectively keeps us we are fairly comfortable this is also obviously temporary I have good earning potential and hope to go fulltime once our son is of school age. I took a minimum wage job which fitted around OHs hours so no need for childcare. This was what we had discussed and planned but in practice OH Resented caring for our son alone for the 3 shifts a week I worked (16hours) so I could pay off my debt when I wasn't contributing financially to the household. He hated me going out to ride even though this has helped me intergrate into a new area and I sacrifice in other areas to have my hobby ie no new clothes, rarely have nights out, don't drink smoke etc. This all came to a head when he found out that during the pregnancy I had (stupidly) added to my debt, nuclear fallout followed which resulted in a downward spiral for me I felt all the progress I'd made had been erased and that everything we'd planned and that I though would make things better was all wrong. I lost all perspective at this point and already fragile OD'd and ended up in hospital.

Things continued to be very strained I subsequently left the job got rid of the horse and after going backwards and forwards to my parents. A huge blowout followed. My friends and family are sick of hearing about him, I feel completely empty I have nobody to talk to. He goes to work and I'm here all day on my own with no car, in one room because of the fire with my bored 13 month old climbing the walls, OH doesn't speak to me when he does get in there just no conversation I feel so desperarately lonely, he thinks I am overreacting about the heating its like a control thing, like chinese water torture I feel constanly uncomfortable. I can't live like this I don't recognise myself anymore.

OP posts:
marantha · 06/12/2010 12:34

I'm so sorry for your situation; seems like the heating is the least of your problems with this man (not that it is unimportant -of course it's important!) but I think there a bigger problems for you to deal with as regards your relationship with him.
From what you say here; he sounds controlling, uncaring and a pain in the arse.

GypsyMoth · 06/12/2010 12:36

good lord....time to move on i think!!!

bluecardi · 06/12/2010 12:46

You need your heating on. Can you call a heating company to come right now and sort it out.

Your oh is bullying you to accept living in a cold house.

The cost of fixing the heating is something he should pay for from his job - or sell his car to fund it.

Do you have hot water?

sarah293 · 06/12/2010 12:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

werewolf · 06/12/2010 12:53

If I were you I'd move back to my parents until the heating issue (at the very least) is sorted.

You need to be warm, comfortable and supported. Currently, you're not.

Doha · 06/12/2010 13:51

Why are you still there. this is neither fair on you or your DS.
Can you move back to your parents until you can get your head clear and decide what you really want from this relationship.

Your DP is giving you no support and is not caring for the wellbeing of you or your DC.

notsocrates · 06/12/2010 16:45

You must get some help and support for yourself urgently. Do you have any friends you can confide in? Also, being cold can be no fun for your little one and your DH needs to take that seriously. Can you stay with your parents for a while?

Some men go into denial on having a baby and, because they do not help, have no idea what hard work and how isolating it can be :-(

Good luck.

BlackFrancis · 06/12/2010 18:01

Thank you for the replies, I have been back to my parents like a yo yo, things are getting strained on both sides I feel like the boy that cried wolf, I have returned for yet another last chance, my Mum says she can't think of us here in the cold she finds it too upsetting. OH blames my returning home (even for a visit ...it's an hour away) for our problems he makes threats about my son and has said I can go whenever I want but I can't take him with me, I am trying not to leave to prove I am commited to make it work so OH doesn't feel insecure (and also give him less ammunition for the next row).

He said he can't afford to order the new rayburn until he gets paid at the end of this month the lead time for ordering is 4 weeks minimum, I know he has the funds availible immediately due to the nature of his mortgage. I arranged for the engineer to come out and quote last week he's now not coming to this week, there was a discussion about paying upfront / on delivery when I questioned OH about this again he bit my head off, sometimes I think it is just me I should just put up and shut up but I get so down and it builds up and I get upset again.

OP posts:
Doha · 06/12/2010 18:04

Bloody hell this man is a tosser

Move out back to your mums and leave this tightfisted control freak to freeze to death in his own house.

Shallishanti · 06/12/2010 18:05

can you get some short term heating, like o il filled radiators that plug in, fan heaters for bathroom etc

BlackFrancis · 06/12/2010 18:13

We have a wood burner in the living room which is fine and I have been using a fan heater upstairs when changing / bathing little one. I can see my breath in the kitchen and my son is bored to death in one room, OH insists our son is not cold and says its just me overreacting, I asked him to dry the babies hair after he bathed him last night and he refused point blank(???!!!)

OP posts:
JetLi · 06/12/2010 18:15

Sorry, but why, why are you with this excuse for a man?

Vagabond · 06/12/2010 18:21

Maybe I'm extreme in the other direction BUT...

I think it's a fundamental human right to feel safe and comfortable in your own home. Your OH should absolutely make it his priority to ensure his family is well cared for, warm and comfortable. If he doesn't, then I'm afraid that the future bodes very badly for you as a family.

The very idea of you bathing your LO in this cold without adequate heat is just horrible. You poor thing.

I would forget the fan heaters - they are pretty useless and eat away at your electricity. Invest in an electric oil radiator and leave it on all day so you can have constant warmth.

I think the fact that you've been so emotionally vulnerable makes selfishness and disregard for your comfort absolutely vile.

Is he stingy (apart from the heating)? I detest stingy men!

BlackFrancis · 06/12/2010 18:33

If I was the same girl I was when I met him, well I wouldn't be here this wouldn't be happening, but I don't trust myself anymore I don't trust my decisions, I just want everything to be ok.

OP posts:
GraceAwayInAManger · 06/12/2010 18:36

I am trying not to leave to prove I am commited to make it work so OH doesn't feel insecure (and also give him less ammunition for the next row)

He doesn't deserve the effort you're making - which amounts to making sacrifices, by both you and your baby. I'm sorry, I hear how desperately you want to find it'll all work out. It won't :(

He's a selfish, sadistic control freak. Living like this is no good for you and your child. Go back to Mum's and have a think once you've warmed up! He can't stop you taking the baby, he isn't interested in his son's wellbeing anyway. Worry about access & so on later, just get yourself to a safe place first.

JetLi · 06/12/2010 18:48

Does your Mum know the full story here? Or are you misguidedly trying to protect your OH? What do you think is going to happen to make everything OK? Your problems go deeper than a Rayburn.
Go back to your Mum's and stay there

perfumeditsawonderfullife · 06/12/2010 18:51

I agree with GraceAway. This man sounds very controlling and very mean and miserable.

The relationship sounds like a rebound thing, as though you barely knew him before conceiving. Some things just aren't worth fighting for, and this seems to be one of them.

I would ask if you can return to your mums, make your mind up that this is it, unless he undergoes a massive attitude change (unlikely). You now need to step up and look after your child's needs. Good luck. Taking action is not that difficult, it's just making the decision that's hard.

BlackFrancis · 06/12/2010 18:56

I told my Mum its all ordered but we have to wait until it's delivered, I told OH I told her this because she was worried, no reaction. Interestingly he has invited his father and partner up for the weekend I am mortified at having people here in these conditions although his fathers partner has previously passed comment at being 'allowed' to have the heating on, like father like son.

OP posts:
BertieBottlesOfMulledWine · 06/12/2010 19:01

Wow, he sounds exactly like my ex. Control freak and nasty bullying tosser. (But, of course, nice when he wanted to be. They keep you guessing, don't they??) As well as no heating he would refuse to buy food when I was pregnant Hmm such a caring father to be of his girlfriend and unborn child!

"If I was the same girl I was when I met him, well I wouldn't be here this wouldn't be happening, but I don't trust myself anymore I don't trust my decisions, I just want everything to be ok."

BlackFrancis, that's exactly what he wants you to think. You ARE still that girl and the strength is inside you. You can leave this situation, I know you can do it. TRUST your instinct which is telling you this isn't right. Do it for your baby if you can't do it for yourself.

Honestly? Go to your mum's and don't come back (at least) until the heating is fixed. (Preferably not at all!) It sounds like she would be behind you 100%, she's just waiting for that moment when you say yes, I've had enough, I need some help with this.

Seriously, you can't stay in a house with no heating with a tiny baby when you have an alternative! Not to keep your husband sweet, not for any reason. What kind of father is he anyway that he thinks his own fucking "insecurity" is more important than the health of his child?

mamatomany · 06/12/2010 19:04

Jesus my DH would walk to walk, sell everything he owns to make sure his wife and children were cosy at home.
It is his attitude that stinks, my hubby isn't perfect, nobody is but he has never refused to care for his child including blow drying waist length locks.
I would leave him, don't waste your youth on this twit.

mamatomany · 06/12/2010 19:05

*walk to work.

JetLi · 07/12/2010 16:32

So how are things today?

kingazanzi · 08/12/2010 03:33

(angry)

JarethTheGoblinKing · 08/12/2010 03:50

kill him

JarethTheGoblinKing · 08/12/2010 03:51

My apologies, that must have been a typo. I of course meant 'LEAVE HIM'