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Relationships

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

Man not moving in

136 replies

Lunettesloupes · 21/05/2018 10:29

So I have been seeing a guy for nearly 3 years. We are both divorced (we were separated when we met, divorced now both finalised for more than a year). We have a lovely time together - do lots, enjoy company, stay over with each other several times per week.

He first made noises about moving in with me probably 2 years ago and I resisted as I like having my own place and I didn't want to rush into anything. Also I have children. Well the children are now going off to college/uni. About a year ago DP asked me if I would consider getting married. I'm in 2 minds but I said that if he asked me that I would say yes. TBH I thought he was kind of testing the water and pretty much asking me. He said 'there would have to be a proper proposal' which is not really my thing but probably would be his. So I said 'ok but don't do anything public or embarrassing'. He says 'no no would just be the two of us' so that's fine.

So we are a year on. I kept thinking for a while that he was going to ask me and I'd kind of talked myself into it (not cos I don't love him but it's a leap of faith given I've been married before). Then he says something again about moving in with me. I give this big speech about how I'm not moving in with him unless/until we have decided to get married; otherwise I'm quite content to keep things as they are. He says 'well done' and then I say 'I think you should say something now'. He says 'I know' and then decides to go to bed.

So I decide to keep it at the previous level - separate houses - I like that set up - I always enjoy seeing him, we support each other and have fun together but he doesn't get under my feet and I have my independence and my own space.

Yesterday he tells me he's just going to make a phonecall. He's inside and I'm out so I don't hear it all but I do overhear him say 'I'll need to ask Lunettesloupes'. Then later he tells me that an old neighbour was on the phone (although DP phoned him) and his son has split up with his wife and is looking to rent somewhere local to my DP. He says what do I think? I say 'it depends if you want to share your house with this guy or not'. Then he says 'I think he would want the house to himself'. The guy works on the rigs so it's 3 weeks on 3 weeks off. I say 'why do they think you have a house to rent?' and he says 'I think they have got the wrong end of the stick' (because he's occasionally let the house on AirBNB and stayed at mine). It's made me feel cross - what makes a man think he has the right to move into my house? I've told him what it would take and he seems to be trying to find another way to move in. It's not sitting well with me as I've been manipulated before.

I don't know what I'm asking here. Perhaps it's AIBU...perhaps it's what should I do? Perhaps it's should I let this man go and find someone who wants to move in with him?

OP posts:
Luckyme2 · 22/05/2018 17:11

No definitely not. But if you want to marry him ask him. And if you dont then stay as you are.

swingofthings · 22/05/2018 17:18

so If I loved him enough I’d let him move in without any regard for my wishes?
No, you'd have a grown up conversation about your reasons why you want marriage for protection and why you feel that by him moving, it is putting you in a vulnerable position financially.

Lunettesloupes · 22/05/2018 17:33

Yes you’re right about needing a conversation. It’s not just financial for me it’s about love and commitment too and about my values. I don’t want to live with a man I’m not married to. However, I’ve got doubts all round now. I’ll try to explain how I feel next time I see him and I’ll ask him more about his feelings too.

OP posts:
FizzyGreenWater · 22/05/2018 17:50

I think you should think about it a lot more actually.

I totally see what you mean about marriage and the living together thing. However, the sober fact of it is that marriage isn't really about those things - not when the chips are down.

Being married is a bigger commitment, yes. But it won't make a person nicer, or more suited to you, or prevent them bailing out.

The real difference it makes is in finances. So if you were a young person looking to set up a joint home with this man and have a family, you'd be a fool not to marry, to protect you if anything happened.

The opposite could well be true in your case. That being married would, instead, leave you open to abuse - of him getting access to your home, your assets. Money complicates - and in your case, marriage might just bring on more of those complications. Especially with children to think about and a potentially quite out-for-himself man in the equation.

Having said that, he doesn't want to, so what does that mean - is he far better off than you? Would marriage risk his assets?

I get what you mean about marriage and I don't think you should compromise what you believe, but it might not be as straightforward a cause and effect as you think.

Lunettesloupes · 22/05/2018 17:53

We are about as well off as each other and 2 kids each (all over 16). I think we both have about as much as the other to lose/gain. I’d be happy to have a pre-nup if it came to it and I am not looking to gain anything off him.

OP posts:
Zaphodsotherhead · 22/05/2018 19:12

My OH and I have been together seven years. We live 30 miles apart. Tbh it suits me just fine because I have my own space and my own time, now my kids have left. I realised I spent all their childhoods catering to the whims of others, and now I get to do what I want. OH is around to hang out with or go out (although he's not that keen on going anywhere), and I see it as the best of both worlds.

Is your OH a generally passive communicator OP? Do things just 'happen' to him a lot?

Lunettesloupes · 22/05/2018 19:37

Yes I get that Z - sounds pretty good. I’m at the tail end of kids and sometimes I feel like not making an effort or doing my own thing and I’m also incredibly busy. I also have days when the idea of settling down with DP sounds like bliss. I also love his company and enjoy being part of a partnership. Maybe I want my cake and eat it...maybe I just want some cake Cake

OP posts:
Lunettesloupes · 22/05/2018 19:38

Passive aggressive? Yes he is. Am I? I’m not sure. I find it difficult to express myself in relationships sometimes.

OP posts:
swingofthings · 22/05/2018 20:41

I get the feel you have the same concerns and insecurity and both feeling you need to protect yourself.

Talking about how you really feel might unleash a lot and free both of you up from the guards you built around you.

Lunettesloupes · 22/05/2018 21:14

Unfortunately, I just went round to talk to him about it. I told him how I felt about the phone call with the neighbour and he denied that he was trying to move in. He says he was just repeating what the neighbour said and he knew my position on it all along. He didn’t ask to move in (which is true he didn’t actually ask he implied it by saying that this guy would want the whole house). At least 20 minutes passed between the phone call and him raising it with me so I am not buying him saying he had no opinion or thoughts on it. I asked have I got the wrong end of the stick and he said I have. Then he said sorry you’re upset. I call bullshit. And I’ve just driven home. There’s no point arguing with someone who denies any responsibility. I really don’t think it was all in my head.

OP posts:
MsPavlichenko · 22/05/2018 22:17

No. It wasn't all in your head. Otherwise he'd have explained it as a genuine misunderstanding at the time. Laughed about it. Or even directly asked you if moving in was a possibility. Bullshit is right.

Red flag for me I'm afraid.

PolkaHots · 22/05/2018 22:29

Awful when someone won’t be honest with you.

Gemini69 · 22/05/2018 22:45

you know what you heard OP... Flowers

FizzyGreenWater · 22/05/2018 22:53

Hahaha!

Has he forgotten that he called the neighbour?

It was a big old set up. Not a very clever one though.

Hmm. Have a good old think about him. I wouldn't marry him, I have to say. Not such a super fan of gaslighting numpties.

Lunettesloupes · 22/05/2018 23:26

Yes and before he made the call he said ‘I’m just going to make a phonecall’ which I found weird in itself as I was reading a book and he interrupted me to announce this. ...I felt bad leaving this eve as I would have liked to talk it all out as adults. I couldn’t believe he would let me take all the blame though.

OP posts:
GreenItWas · 22/05/2018 23:52

Oooh that would have my spidey senses tingling too OP. Bit of manipulation and gas lighting right there unfortunately. He knows you copped him and lied his way out.

AndTheBandPlayedOn · 23/05/2018 02:13

And then he would have followed up with who he was meaning to move in with-see? he wasn’t even talking about you. But that didn’t happen did it? Oops, you caught him. Now lies. Oops, you caught that too.

Sorry you are upset. Not sorry about his behavior that resulted in your upset.

“Shit or get off the pot” with a squiggly Wayne’s World dissolve goes to “Scrape that turd off your shoe”.

Monty27 · 23/05/2018 02:42

You stand by your ground OP.
It's your home and you like it the way it is so don't change it.
I have read a fair bit but not all of the posts. I haven't seen anything much about love and passion.
You don't want it don't have it. Otherwise what you do have will be ruined.
The couple needing somewhere to live sounds very contrived to me.
A big big red flag.
Take care.

GeekyWombat · 23/05/2018 03:03

He sounds manipulative. It’s difficult if you can’t have an actual honest frank conversation with him about your respective feelings, this would make me question the whole relationship.

Flowers
Cawfee · 23/05/2018 04:10

He’s being manipulative. Subtly trying to push you into a situation that benefits him. Him moving in with you doesn’t benefit you at all. He gets to swan around your house, making a mess and disrupting your hard earned lovely house and make lots of money from renting out his place. It’s all roses for him. What do you get out of this plan? Loss of space, loss of freedom, shitty underpants to wash...no thanks! You’ve got it good right now. Why rock the boat if the sailing is good!?!

Lunettesloupes · 23/05/2018 06:06

monty27 there is love and passion too I just haven’t mentioned it in the thread. Lots of passion and very supportive and loving side of things. I feel very disappointed with this now. I’m wondering where we go from here.

OP posts:
swingofthings · 23/05/2018 06:48

Sorry but you sound incredibly controlling. You didn't go there to talk, you went there to confront him and get him to say something that he didn't and then concluded that you knew better than him what the call was about.

You have no idea what this was all about. Maybe he did call someone, they weren't there so left a message and that person called right afterwards. Maybe he didn't tell you about for 20 minutes because it wasn't a big deal to him and indeed, it wasn't said with the intention to manipulate things to move in. What if he did tell you the truth and you're being totally melodramatic about it?

You need to relax and start trusting this man that you supposedly want to be married to. Frankly, I can see why he wouldn't want to marry you before living with you. If you are going to make such a big deal of this phone call, how are you likely to react if he is 10 minutes home later than he says he will be?

At this stage, you are certainly better off continuing to live separately until you decide you are prepare to trust him.

BoneyBackJefferson · 23/05/2018 07:07

You need to have a proper conversation about this.

You both seem to be half heartedly talking about moving in and marriage, when neither of you really wants to and are happy as you are.

Lunettesloupes · 23/05/2018 07:35

swing
I wasn’t complaining about him waiting 20 mins, I was questioning his assertion that he was just passing on a message when he had had that time to think about it.
I don’t mind if he’s 10 mins late or whatever. I don’t try to control him just try to stay in control of who lives in my house.

You’re right though that I did confront him and I’m guessing that’s why he felt backed into a corner and lied. I don’t feel proud of that myself but I feel struck with it.

OP posts:
Lunettesloupes · 23/05/2018 07:37

He did call the person and they answered....I couldnt help but hear bits of it because I was only in the garden and the door was open.

OP posts:
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