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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

What to do now - please help

11 replies

AbiBrown · 29/05/2020 01:19

Can't believe I'm writing this. Not sure where to start. I'll try and be brief, just a little background for info : we've been together 8 years, married for 4, 2 year old dd who is just amazing. On the whole we have a good relationship, split most things 50/50, and coparent well. We've had our fair share of arguments over the years, one huge one over Brexit!! (but with underlying tensions including unemployment) we ended up living apart for 4 months and despite this nothing nasty was ever said and I thought I can trust this person even when shit hits the fan so was happy to have a child with him. We currently live in a flat that my parents bought as they're renting elsewhere, they're not rich, this is their lives' savings so I'm incredibly grateful and it gives us a chance to build the careers we want.
Fast forward to yesterday. We had an argument about politics and both ended up sulking. Today I had a Skype chat with friends scheduled and did that and it was a lot of fun. Hadn't spoken to my husband all day. I wasn't happy that we'd both sulked and don't want that kind of environment for our daughter. I come up to the bedroom and he's fuming and says he can't believe I called him stupid (i didn't) and dismissed his entire life (I suggested lockdown hadn't change things much for him seeing as he hadn't had much work this year and doesn't go out much). He was on the verge of tears and said he wanted to divorce and then shouted shut up when I started to speak.
I have a pretty high threshold with what I'll put up with so said if he gets aggressive I'm calling the police (in our 8 years together he's shouted a couple of times and slammed a door a couple of times, no violence but grew up in a violent household and I really don't want to even give it a chance to ever escalate). He also called me a princess and said I was spoilt by my parents (I was, with unconditional love and support, obv including the current housing situation, and despite which they don't actually have much money). He then called his mum and put her on speakerphone. She's always been civil and kind to me but said that I'd been belittling her son for a while and that although she's grateful for what my parents did for him he's not been feeling included in the family (they've gone above and beyond to include him). Anyway by that point, I'm just besides myself thinking this isn't happening.
I don't trust him right now and am worried we'll go ahead and separate but I'm absolutely terrified he'll throw me under the bus. We've both agreed to work part time and look after our daughter but recently I've had more work than him (although still not full time) and I'm really worried he might somehow make out he's the main carer. On the whole, I look after my daughter more, I take her to play groups, sort out nursery, teach her things at home etc. My second concern is the flat. It's still in my parents ' name. But, say this is retrievable, and we end up staying together, am I forced to give him 50% of the value of the flat? Is there any legal doc to avoid that? He doesn't pay rent or anything but is hands on with repairs etc.
Finally, he just doesn't have any money, he's has a little bit of debt (we've kept our financial affairs separate), I'm essentially the breadwinner. My family lives abroad and if we separate, I'd want to go there as I'll have more help, and frankly more money and job prospects as mine are very rocky at the moment. Given all this, what ducks should I get in a row?speak to a solicitor? It's such a mish mash...sorry if this isn't very coherent I can't believe I'm typing this. I think the red line that was crossed for me today was the shouting, insulting my family and his mum saying this when without us he'd have been struggling massively financially. Any other advice welcome.... Thank you for listening

OP posts:
notapizzaeater · 29/05/2020 01:22

Tbh I'd be getting rid of him, what sort of man child sulks and phones his mum to have a go at you ?

Hairyhat · 29/05/2020 01:24

Just read your post back to yourself op. You sound lovely. He does not.

MashedSpud · 29/05/2020 01:31

My advice is don’t discuss politics.

Saltystraw · 29/05/2020 01:41

Why would you want to take a child away from its father if you can co parent well? That’s not fair in my opinion

AbiBrown · 29/05/2020 02:05

I wouldn't take her away from him, but I'm here on borrowed time to be honest, we both discussed moving to my home country (very close) for a bit as he agreed that it's probably best for our daughter... I just had a nice phone chat with a close friend who knows him who completely dedramatised it and said to speak calmly in the morning but that nothing irretrievable had happened. I kind of agree, but I feel like I need to wise up a bit. We had a small number of sessions with a couples counselor ages ago and it was very helpful, we both spoke openly and with love. I don't know if it's with revisiting that option now... Just to say, his sister was with his mum on the phone and was very kind, saying she loved me very much and wanted to make sure I was OK. But yeah, I don't think it's cool involving them at this stage. His mum said he's having a bit of a nervous breakdown. I told her that can happen and no-one is above that but there's no way I'm at the receiving end of it. She said she agreed and that he'll be calling a gp first thing. Sorry my posts are all jumbled up, so is my mind.

OP posts:
Whataloadofshite · 29/05/2020 02:06

He phones his MUM and has a tantrum? My gods what a child.

AllyBamma · 29/05/2020 02:51

Oh my god, having a sulk all day and then actually ringing him mum to bring her into the argument would be the end for me. I’d never be able to respect him after that. What an absolute child.

I’m not sure of the laws in the UK but I’d say I’d the house is in your parents names then he wouldn’t get 50% as it’s not an asset of yours, it’s theirs.

Throw him out if he’s so bloody unhappy and ungrateful with his lot in life and see how he copes then. He’s done you a favour instigating things. You’re better off without this mummy’s boy

ComtesseDeSpair · 29/05/2020 02:53

If you separate, he won’t be entitled to the house if it’s in your parents’ names. If you stay together and your parents transferred ownership of the house to you and you then separated, the house would be a marital asset and potentially he’d be due some of its equity. If you don’t have much in the way of savings or pension (and it doesn’t sound like you do) it would be a pretty easy financial split and you’d go your own separate ways. From what you say about both agreeing to work part-time so you can share DD’s care sounds as though you genuinely do equally co-parent, so can’t see why it would be throwing you under the bus for him to want to continue a shared care arrangement if you divorce. Yes, he could legally stop you leaving the country with his child and leaving him as every-other-weekend (or less) dad; just as you would if he decided he wanted to take her to live abroad and let you see her so infrequently.

It doesn’t sound like either of you exactly covered yourselves in glory here. He was childish and an idiot to involve his mum in your argument, especially knowing he’d complained to her about the house situation; and he was a dick for throwing the divorce bomb into what sounds like a reasonably petty lockdown-fuelled disagreement. But what you said was intended to hurt and belittle him, even if it was only said in anger: if a woman posted that her husband had undermined her role as a SAHM by saying lockdown hadn’t changed much for her because all she did was sit at home watching Bob the Builder all day, plenty of posters would be angry on her behalf. And threatening to call the police because he shouted (when you say yourself this has happened only a couple of times in almost a decade) was a complete overreaction and really quite nasty. I’d feel pretty powerless if the mere rare act of raising my voice led to my partner threatening me with the police and an accusation of abuse.

category12 · 29/05/2020 06:58

If your parents own the property, he has no claim on it.

He can stop you taking your dc out of the country to live (prohibited steps order, I think), and I would absolutely, if I was him.

If you can be shown to have benefited from his debt, you may be held liable for it in any settlement. Example: if he bought himself a dirtbike for his sole use, that's his problem. But if he bought a washing machine you both use, that's likely to be seen as a joint debt, come financial settlements.

AbiBrown · 29/05/2020 14:02

Oh dear sorry about all the typos, meant to write input is welcome!

OP posts:
Hagisonthehill · 29/05/2020 14:09

Ask him to go to his mum's for a while so that you can both calm down and think what you want to do and he calls his go.
The flat is your parents so don't worry about that.

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