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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

Partner lying about owning a house..

210 replies

Smileandbe · 07/06/2022 14:35

Hi all,

I have been with my partner for a couple of years now, he owns his own place (or so I thought) and I own mine. He has basically moved in with me (it's easier for us both this way due to being closer to work) and we've lived together just over a year.

We try to go to his place once a week. Recently I have suggested I would like to move forward maybe get a place together or rent one of our places out so we are better off financially. He reacted badly to this and says he doesn't want to sell his place or rent it out. I am happy to sell or rent mine if it means we move forward together. I presumed he was struggling with commitment and maybe it was too soon for him to move forward, despite the fact we live together already.

I have since discovered (from some papers he threw out and asked me to shred) that he doesn't actually own his property but rather rents it from his ex in laws. I've done a check online and confirmed this is the case. He doesn't know that I know yet.

My first reaction was shock. He's told me since we met that he has worked so hard to get a mortgage and pay it as a single person (as I have too). He's told me he has 5 years left on his mortgage, that he's locked in for 5 years so he'd get a good rate and not be affected by the cost of living crisis in that respect etc etc. He planned to sell his flat when he retired and get a mobile home so he could travel abroad more. He's not simply lied about owning a property, he's fabricated a lifestyle.

I couldn't care less if he had absolutely nothing when we first met. I've never asked or wanted anything physically from him and I do not consider myself to be a materialistic person. I would have loved him the same whatever but the fact that he has been lying to me all this time is so confusing. I don't understand why he feels he needs to do it and when he plans on telling me the truth. I am still struggling to process it.

I really do not know the best way to approach this with him. If anyone has any input I'd be so grateful 🙏 thank you

OP posts:
Icansleep · 07/06/2022 16:36

That's a MASSIVE thing to lie about, and being so elaborate too 😬

I wouldn't be able to trust him after this

Cantstopsweeping · 07/06/2022 16:37

Liar, liar, pants on fire.

Get rid as it’s part of their DNA. I know.

User310 · 07/06/2022 16:41

May e they took out the mortgage for him and he is paying the bills each month? Still not appropriate to lie but it would mean he effectively will own the house?

catandcoffee · 07/06/2022 16:43

That is some lie to tell and continue with.
Maybe he's a pathological lier.

catandcoffee · 07/06/2022 16:43

That is some lie to tell and continue with.
Maybe he's a pathological lier.

TurquoiseDragon · 07/06/2022 16:45

Octomore · 07/06/2022 15:29

Why bother?

There is no information that the OP could possinly obtain that would change what she needs to do next - which is to dump him.

Why spend time and energy doing debt searches on a man who has already proved himself to be waste of her precious time?

I agree. Why bother, especially as he's proving himself to be less than a decent bloke, with the info about his reaction to OP regarding the messsaging of other women.

I would bet he's banking on OP not dumping him now they've been together for 2 years ish.

But it's not worth putting anything more into this relationship, because he's a proven liar and OP would always be wondering what else he's hiding.

Time to dump. Carefully, with family/friends present to back you up.

Unsure33 · 07/06/2022 16:51

Have you actually checked on land registry ? Are You sure he did not rent iit aat first and then bought it?

Octomore · 07/06/2022 16:52

User310 · 07/06/2022 16:41

May e they took out the mortgage for him and he is paying the bills each month? Still not appropriate to lie but it would mean he effectively will own the house?

A bank wouldn't lend to someone who wasn't on the deeds of the house. Why on earth would his in laws have taken out a mortgage for him on a house that he owns? It's not plausible.

Do you normally grasp at straws to try to defend people who are very obviously piss-takers?

If he owned house, he'd be registered via the land registry and the mortgage would be in his name.

AryaStarkWolf · 07/06/2022 16:55

Tell him you saw the papers while you were shredding and see what he says, it would have to be a pretty good explanation though and if he starts getting angry that you read his paperwork, I would most certainly run for the hills

Salome61 · 07/06/2022 16:56

So sorry. My friend was with her partner a few years and living with him when she found out he rented both his house and his car - and he was an employee, not the owner of the business as he'd said. She'd actually redone her will leaving him her house and was very shocked he had lied to her. She ended the relationship but he stalked her for a long time, do be very careful.

Octomore · 07/06/2022 17:00

To all the people coming up with implausible excuses for this man, and inventing bizarre scenarios that might make what he says partially true - re-read the OP:

he doesn't actually own his property but rather rents it from his ex in laws. I've done a check online and confirmed this is the case.

He's told me since we met that he has worked so hard to get a mortgage and pay it as a single person

He's told me he has 5 years left on his mortgage, that he's locked in for 5 years so he'd get a good rate and not be affected by the cost of living crisis in that respect etc

He is very obviously claiming that HE has a mortgage on a place that he owns by himself. He's not saying that he rents to own from his in-laws, or that someone else took out the mortgage 'for him'.

If you would believe that sort of guff, you'll believe anything.

worriedaboutmoney2022 · 07/06/2022 17:01

Icansleep · 07/06/2022 16:36

That's a MASSIVE thing to lie about, and being so elaborate too 😬

I wouldn't be able to trust him after this

Exactly this
Thank god he didn't fully move in really I'd be packing his stuff, good riddens to bad rubbish

MrKlaw · 07/06/2022 17:06

is there a chance he thinks he is getting the house in 5 years and doesn't want you to find out the connection to the ex? Not exactly sure how/why that would be the case, just thinking out loud.

Octomore · 07/06/2022 17:09

MrKlaw · 07/06/2022 17:06

is there a chance he thinks he is getting the house in 5 years and doesn't want you to find out the connection to the ex? Not exactly sure how/why that would be the case, just thinking out loud.

That would still make him a liar though, wouldn't it?

Why are people making excuses for him? The OP knows he has lied, and why would anyone stay in a relationship with a liar?

Aquamarine1029 · 07/06/2022 17:13

I would be kicking him out immediately. He wouldn't spend one more night in my home. I can only imagine what else he's lied to you about.

ZaraSizeMedium · 07/06/2022 17:13

The mental gymnastics some people on this thread are doing to dream up ways that this guy might possibly have not been lying, and does in fact own the house, is really quite astonishing.

Riverlee · 07/06/2022 17:14

I wondered whether his parents purchased the flat after the divorce, and his ‘rent’ is contributing to his share of the flat. Ie. If he has paid £100k towards a £400k, flat,then he owns a quarter of it.

Maybe he was too embarrassed to say this at the beginning, and it was easier to continue to lie, then to tell the truth. Or maybe, because his rent is buying him a share of the flat, he believes he’s not renting.

However, to lie about a fixed rate mortgage is weird, and he has plenty of time to come clean.

WorkHardPlayHard1 · 07/06/2022 17:16

Why do women blame themselves? Why would you guess he is a lying toe rag until you found out? 🧐

ZaraSizeMedium · 07/06/2022 17:17

I wondered whether his parents purchased the flat after the divorce

His parents don’t own the flat - his ex in-laws do Hmm.

Octomore · 07/06/2022 17:21

ZaraSizeMedium · 07/06/2022 17:13

The mental gymnastics some people on this thread are doing to dream up ways that this guy might possibly have not been lying, and does in fact own the house, is really quite astonishing.

Yes! Obviously the land registry is wrong.... when he said he owned it it was a slip of the tongue and he meant rent-to-own.... maybe they took out a mortgage 'for him'... etc.

I am beginning to see how easily con artists are able to fool people, as it seems that PPs will believe all sorts of implausible nonsense rather than accept the simple truth that is staring them in the face.

BalloonsAndWhistles · 07/06/2022 17:26

Thank goodness you’re not linked financially and it sounds as though it’s easy enough to walk away. This is a massive whopper and I couldn’t accept this from anyone, let alone someone who claims to love me. You need to end things but whether you let him know you know is up to you.

Blueblell · 07/06/2022 17:27

Is it possible that they owned the house they lived in together and they have all have some sort of arrangement. I know it still means he hasn’t been honest but it might be worth discussing it

Itstimetoquit · 07/06/2022 17:28

Dump and run! You can't trust a liar x

Octomore · 07/06/2022 17:30

Blueblell · 07/06/2022 17:27

Is it possible that they owned the house they lived in together and they have all have some sort of arrangement. I know it still means he hasn’t been honest but it might be worth discussing it

Why would it be worth discussing? There is no explanation that doesn't involve him having lied his arse off for the entire relationship.

Would you stay with someone who had told a lie that big? More fool you, if so.

Oceanus · 07/06/2022 17:31

OP, it would be really interesting to hear whether you share the bills or whether he came along for the ride free of charge.