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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

Need some perspective please

36 replies

feelreallydown · 13/01/2015 11:18

Have name changed for this...

OK, here goes. I have been with DP for 7 years. We originally planned to marry about a year after we met, but I got pregnant and so the wedding was cancelled/postponed/whatever.

I sold my house and moved into his house when I was pregnant. DS was born with a heart defect and was extremely ill, he had to have open heart surgery when he was 5 months old. This is where things started to go a bit wrong looking back. The hospital DS had his surgery in was about 100 miles away from where we live, so we were offered a room in the Ronald McDonald house for the length of his hospital stay. DP said he couldn't stay because of his dog, even though his DM had offered to feed the dog while he was away (she couldn't walk him, he is a big, badly trained dog, and she is a tiny lady), Anyway as I said, she offered to feed him and sit with him for a few hours a day, but DP said no.

I resented the fact that he wasn't there for us, but I put all of my energy into making sure DS was OK. His surgery went well and we were home after 10 days.

Now, the idea always was that he would sell his house and we would buy one together. He ran out of money doing is house up to sell, so I lent him c £25k (some inheritance from my DM, plus proceeds of house sale) so he could finish it. Of course the aim of this was so that when he sold his house, he could pay me back. No problem I thought.

Here's the crazy bit, and looking back I have no idea why we did this, but we found a house that we really liked. It was a big old project, and DP said he would be happy to do it up over time ( he is a tradesman so very handy). So, foolishly we bought it, interest only mortgage. I put 70k of my own money in, DP put nothing in. And then the rot set in.

DP changed when we moved into the house, he was barely working (self employed) and his attitude towards life, me, everything completely changed. We were really struggling for money and obviously that affected our relationship. He got depressed and took it out on me pretty much constantly. He was awful to be around and I started to wonder what the hell I had done. His house didn't sell, so he ended up renting it out, so his other mortgage was covered. I put a few more thousand into the house (new boiler, sorting garden out for DS etc) and also lent him another 2k so that he could buy some equipment for his business.

He got more and more depressed, worked less and less, and he treated me like a skivvy. He was awful to me, did absolutely nothing around the house, and I mean nothing. We argued constantly, so last summer I had had enough, and told him that I wanted us to split up. He didn't seem surprised, or offer to get help for his depression, or even offer to make some changes such as helping me around the house. Nothing. Nada. By this point we were in separate rooms.

The house we are in now needs quite a bit of work doing to it before it can go on the market (think hole in kitchen ceiling, shower in bits, holes in bathroom floor) so I proposed we spent 12 months living in it together and doing it up so I can get the best price for it. This would give him another 12 months renting his house out. I can't afford to live in this house on my own with DS, I would go under. (I am the main bread winner, but my salary is not enough to live on in this house). Fast forward to today, his tenants moved out in November and he has made no effort to get some new tenants in. Now he is saying he is going under, and get this, he asked me to take a 10k loan out in my name so he could sort his finances out ( he is unable to get a loan as he is S/E and has not earned enough.) He said he will make the payments.

We just had a blazing row because I said no. I am not prepared to lose any more money. I said 'what have you ever done for me??' and he seemed incredulous that I could even say such a thing. He's stormed off now and I am sitting here shaking. He is so horrible to me, he does absolutely nothing around the house, so why do I feel so bad? I shouldn't take the loan out should I???

OP posts:
redredholly · 13/01/2015 12:11

I think if he moves out and leaves you alone you will de-stress and be able to think up a proper solution, and maybe have a friend over to talk to. If husband can't pay you £300 a month anyway then he can't help out with the house either.

newyear15 · 13/01/2015 12:12

What is his salary? You can do a benefit check for yourself at entitled to - and you can use the child maintenance calculator to work out how much he would need to pay you.

feelreallydown · 13/01/2015 12:12

I earn too much to get benefits, I have already checked. And no, the house is not in a fit state to be rented out, it really isn't. I'm doing the sums now and I really need another 300 a month minimum otherwise I would be dipping into my savings by that amount each month and before long they would be gone

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feelreallydown · 13/01/2015 12:13

He is self employed and doesn't make any profit on paper. He gets an armed services pension of £9k per year

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CleanLinesSharpEdges · 13/01/2015 12:14

Why do you feel the house needs 'doing up' before you sell it?

feelreallydown · 13/01/2015 12:15

He pays the bills in this house - so gas/electric/phone/TV. I pay mortgage/council tax/food/DS expenses etc. Hence me thinking what he pays is around 300 per month at the moment

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feelreallydown · 13/01/2015 12:16

CleanLines, its a beautiful old Arts and Crafts house, all original features still in. But it is a dump, and I mean a dump. The kitchen is falling to pieces, as is the bathroom. I need to at least spruce it up a bit else I will lose a lot of money

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newyear15 · 13/01/2015 12:16

well your council tax would be less for a start, as would food and utilities.

You could of course get a lodger in. And you would qualify for some child maintenance from him too.

feelreallydown · 13/01/2015 12:17

And thanks for all your replies, its helping me to think things through. I know I seem to be putting obstacles in the way of everyones suggestions, but Im just being realistic about the situation

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DontWorrryBaldrickHasACunningP · 13/01/2015 12:37

Go and see a solicitor get some proper legal advice. See if there is away to get your money out of his house. Can you prove you have spent/lent him money for his house through bank statements?

Assume you will get bugger all from your ex in terms of maintenance and start looking at ways you can make up the £300 shortfall. Try budget brain on money saving expert, switching energy providers, better mobile contract. Cut down on food shopping try supermarket comparison to make sure you are shopping in the cheapest place.

Are there anyways you could earn the £300?

Whatever you do DON'T give him another penny.

feelreallydown · 13/01/2015 12:44

I'm not giving him any more money, don't worry about that! I'm pretty thrifty, shop at Aldi etc but yes I'm sure I could cut down somewhere. I don't think I could earn any extra money - it would mean getting a second job and obviously childcare would become an issue then. I just worked it all out and after everything is paid (mortgage and all bills), I would be left with £150 each month for food, clothing, everything else. Its not enough is it. Damn. I'll take a look at budgetbrain now.

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