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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

Don't want financial resentment

34 replies

MizMoonshine · 04/08/2020 11:06

Don't want to drip feed, this is probably going to be long and boring.

DP and I are due a baby imminently. I have a son from a previous relationship.
I've been made redundant, after receiving my redundancy payment at the end of this month I will have no income.

My partner has a comfortable income. He's got good job security. He has regular overtime (constantly has to travel for work) which amounts to between 1 and 3 thousand pcm.

He has a hefty amount of savings, enough to give us a good house deposit.

He also owns a house, 5 bed detached, about an hours drive away. However, he is trying to sell this house (it's been on the market for two years at a ridiculous price, as his ex wife demanded it). Since they have divorced she is not communicating with him, ignoring his direct communication as well as solicitor.

With his ex wife, their marriage only lasted 6 months. The house was entirely paid for by him (he sold his other house, that he owned before meeting her to make up the deposit). She, legally, has no claim to any financial gain from the sale of the property due to the length of the marriage and having made no financial contribution to the purchase or subsequent upkeep of the house. But they have a joint mortgage. Since finding out she won't likely get a penny from the sale, she's just chosen not to engage, which means he can't progress with selling the house. Can't lower the price, can't accept an offer. He's stuck with the bloody thing.

This is where the problem is for us. We live in Wales, he's currently staying with me and my son (and soon to be our baby) in my mother's 3 bed house. As you can imagine, it's a bit tight. But we're managing. Mum has company, we have a roof.

We can't move to his due to my son's school and my family being close by. My son has had a lot of change in his 8 years and is finally settled in a school and is happy in this area, especially being so close to family (mine and his father's). My dad died last year, they were very close. He adores living with his nan (who has epilepsy, one of the reasons we moved in with her and one of the reasons it's important to be close by).

DP and I have been looking at houses. We've found one that we could technically afford. It meets our basic requirements and it's ready to move into, wouldn't need any immediate work at all. It's a five minute walk from my mother's house, closer even to my son's school.

When I say we can technically afford it, we can afford it quite easily with his overtime. However, based on just his basic salary, two mortgages running side by side (and all the additional costs that go along with them), maintaining a four person family, running the car blah blah blah he's going to have little to no disposable income left.

He's working 12 hour days between actual work and travel. Having no disposable income is going to slowly but surely kill him overtime, I feel. I said it's not a good move right now. He argues that we can't just sit where we are indefinitely.

We have until April to be here at my mum's, before she has planned work starting on the house and it's going to become unlivable. She is hoping we have a place so that she can come and stay with us.

However, with his ex not co-operating, he's lumbered with two mortgages, has used his savings on a second house and has no fun money. I won't be able to contribute until I can get a new job. Childcare in our area means I'll be working just to pay for it, basically. My mum can't be left with the baby, obviously, incase she has a fit.

I just worry he will come to resent the kids and I. But he's right. We can't just sit still.

What can we do?

OP posts:
RandomMess · 04/08/2020 12:49

He also needs to write a new will post divorce...

MizMoonshine · 04/08/2020 12:49

@FinallyHere
I don't think it's not being good with follow through, really. He's going to have to just suck it up and go with court proceedings eventually. He's just always wanted to avoid it.

OP posts:
MizMoonshine · 04/08/2020 12:52

@RandomMess he's already onto the will. Changed his death in service, pension etc.

@Thislittlelady if he offers her something, she's probably going to respond demanding more. If she would tell him what it is she wants they could maybe negotiate..if he goes in with what he can afford she's likely to entirely take the piss, given how she has behaved up until now.

OP posts:
Muppetry76 · 04/08/2020 13:00

Complete change of direction required OP, time for dp to take control of his financial divorce stuff. As pp have said, if she is refusing to engage (I assume there is plenty of documented evidence of this - emails, texts etc) then get it straight to court. Don't waste a penny more on trying to get her to engage, take control and get a court order for sole charge of sale of house. A judge can even agree at what price the property will sell at, and court can sign paperwork in absence of the other party.

I did this with my reluctant/determined to be a dickhead ex, down to the sale price. Really quite straightforward - estate agent knows what the property will sell for, both dp and buyers know where they are. Don't waste any more cash on legal fees that aren't getting you anywhere. Nothing like a deadline (new baby) to focus the mind!

Day0utDrama · 04/08/2020 13:18

I believe if he buys he second property, he will need to pay stamp duty

He should sort everything out with property one first, before buying the second

MizMoonshine · 04/08/2020 13:31

@Day0utDrama
We're expecting to pay the (Welsh equivalent of) stamp duty anyway. The savings allow for that.

OP posts:
RandomMess · 04/08/2020 13:40

Please prioritise selling the FMH, that will reduce stress levels and you can move on knowing exactly where you each stand.

FinallyHere · 04/08/2020 14:35

Oh, and generally speaking, being married is advantageous for the financially weaker partner. Especially if they take time off from work to best and raise children.

hellsbellsmelons · 04/08/2020 14:54

and go with court proceedings eventually. He's just always wanted to avoid it
'Court' sounds scary but all divorces go through divorce courts for the decree stages anyway.
He doesn't have to attend.
The solicitor draws up the paperwork, it goes to the court for sign off.

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