Ex-DP threatening to report phone as stolen if I don't give it back?

[MyNameIsMooMoo]

My now ex-DP and I have split up after a string of rows. I am worse off, left with children and unemployed. Now he wants all the gifts he has given me back, including the phone he gave me for Christmas. What can I do if anything? I don't have money for another.

What type of phone is it? Is on a contract or PAYG?

Don't give it back. It was a gift.It belongs to you. The police would probably laugh.

Oh yes that's a point is the contract in his name?

The police will do absolutely nothing. Are you claiming all the benefits you are entitled to? Is he paying maintenance?

My ex did this, let him go ahead and report you. My ex reported me for not letting him have several items from the house, including tools, the police laughed at him, he had no prof that I had the items or that they were his. Police officer explained to him that things go. Issuing when relationships break up and told him he was being petty and trying to find excuses to get at me. The police don't want to deal with petty things like this so let him go ahead.

Who's name is the phone under? Igbthe contract is his & he's paying, I think you may have blown your beans

Gosh, yes he is still paying for the phone only the device. The sim is my own. Stuffed then :(

He's not paying maintenance as of yet, and that is what has triggered this whole thing.

It was a gift. I personally would take it down to one of those CEX exchange shops and sell it. Then I'd buy a cheaper phone with the cash.

What a childish man.

I'd rather chuck it in the bin than give it back to him.

At the end of the day, he will still have to pay for it.

I'm in the same boat moo moo. Just gone through the family courts over access... thought that was the end of it but oh no. Got a letter from his solicitor demanding I return items belonging to him (that were gifts to me from him for birthdays and christmases). It's just another way for them to try and get to us but I just think doing this is the lowest of the low. I think men like this are pathetic - even more so if they have kids. I share one dd with my ex and I think men like this should be castrated and have their bits fed to a pack of wolves. They don't deserve to be fathers.

I agree with Sandy.

The police asked me if I had the items my ex had asked for, he asked for 2 old lawn mowers that he had left in the garden. I told the police that they were broken and I had sold them to help pay bills that he hadn't payed, they didn't question it, didn't come and look to see if the items were there. Seriously the police won't give a shit about a phone.
He's just trying to annoy you or remain in contact by picking at stupid things. Ignore him.

Any proof it was a gift? Photos, texts, FB?

Sad that so many of us have to go through this. Luckily I didn't have children with my ex (have 2 children by previous partner), the police were brilliant with my situation, my ex continued to harass me in what ever way he could and eventually he was arrested and an injunction placed on him so he can't make contact. He threatened to take me to court, went to the police several times, they got so fed up with him and they threatened to arrest him again for wasting police time.

These men are control freaks, they do what ever they can to have some kind of control, he doesn't need the phone, he doesn't give a toss about the phone, he just wants a reason to have contact and to piss you off.

Is the SIM on a contract? I have a SIM-only deal and could get an iPhone SE for an extra £3 a month if I called my carrier (Vodafone).

Love music your last paragraph is completely spot on!

Please don't sell on the contract phone. It belongs to the phone provider for the 1st 6 months and then not owned by the contract holder until the contract is paid up. You could be giving yourself a huge amount of trouble

If the contract is in his name he can call the network and get the phone blacklisted. It then won't work with any uk SIM card.

You should be able to upgrade to a phone contract for an extra few £ per month instead of your sim only contract.

He will still have to pay the contract if the phone is blacklisted.

I would give him back the phone, after I had dropped it in the loo and left it there. Opps, I tripped over the dog when walking into the bathroom

and get your child maintenance claim in now - do not delay. It takes forever to sort out.

Just give him the phone back. It's really not worth the hassle and it sounds like you have a long road ahead. He doesn't give a shit about the phone. He wants to know you are upset and distressed. Don't give him that power.

Yes, I think that is exactly what he's going to blacklist it, if I don't give it back.

Dudette - it's disgusting isn't it? He's even asked for things back he bought me years ago. Can't believe it has come to this.

If he's paying your provider, he can stop paying, so you won't be on a network. He cannot ask for gifts back, they are yours (in law). Get a new sim and swap networks. He's being a twat, tell him to fuck off.

They were gifts; it doesn't matter what he wants. Ignore him.

Sorry your ex is such a dick, OP.

Tell him to fuck off. The police will laugh in his face. You tell him that you will inform the police that he is being threatening and abusive.

Did he buy handset only or is it a contract? I'm confused as you say the sim is in your name.

If he bought the handset only (not bundled with a contract so you can put your own sim in) then it's a gift and he can't demand it back. It's the same as if he'd bought you some jewellery on finance and hadn't finished paying it off yet.

If the phone was part of a contract deal then you may be stuffed if he decided to try and blacklist the handset. I don't know much about that.

Any gifts that are not in his name are yours. And a more pertinent conversation to have with him should be over child maintenance. Is he paying it?

If not, give him the phone back, and get in contact with CMS.