Potential mortgage fraud

[RBush22]

Hi all

My partner took out a mortgage of 700k almost 2 years ago and it was approved. However, things are getting bitter between us and I know that to get the mortgage approved, he provided evidence of income that was not genuine.

Can I go to the bank now and ask them to look into it? I don't think I can progress with the relationship with this doubt in my mind that he committed fraud.

He might be a liar fraudster and a thief but I'm not sure that would impact on his right to have/see his children.

Absolutely.

You need to concentrate on separating and getting you & children accommodation now

I wouldn't dream of banning all contact with their dad but surely a thief, gambler and/or fraudster can't get 50:50 in childcare. What sort of influence is that on the children?

Thank you but I have no interest in banning all contact with their dad. I just want what is in the best interests of the kids and I'm not sure a gambler who has unstable finances is someone who has their best interests at heart. I think I just need to take legal advice!

I'm not sure being a fraudster is considered high risk for child care. It's not like he's advising them to invest in Ponzi schemes.

Being someone who makes catastrophic impulse decisions because they're in the grip of a serious gambling addiction, maybe.

As long as he’s not encouraging the kids to follow in his footsteps then this won’t be taken into account op.

Er, how was it that he's spent all of this money on gambling (are you sure of that or is that what he's told you?), and you weren't aware there was something not quite right going on? How did he get his hands on all this money? Sounds like there's more background to this than you've said.

You definitely need legal help, that's for sure, but do you know for sure that all of this money went on gambling? Or is this just what he's telling you?

Ultimately it doesn’t really matter where it went: the OP and her STBX aren’t married and the mortgage and the property it was secured on are in his name. He could have spent it on polo ponies and felt tipped pens or opened an ice cream shop for all it’s the OP’s concern, there’s nothing connecting her to whatever he’s done. It’s probably not, however, a wise move for OP to start going down the route of admitting that she was aware of and potentially complicit in fraudulent mortgage applications.

It’s irrelevant, they are not married, his financials are not her concern.

It is a concern now that he's telling me he can't pay nursery fees, and his rental payments and he's risking my children's futures...

His actions are connected to me as we have children together and he has recently not been able to meet nursery expenses, doesn't pay for the children's food and, if it gets any worse, might not meet rental obligations potentially rendering us all homeless.

Remember that this is the exact crime Tommy Robinson went to prison for recently - exaggerating income in a mortgage application.

I would be pissed of if he gambled all that money too BUT if you report him, do you really want your DC to grow up with a dad in prison?

Consider whats best for your children.

Is it better for them to have a dad in prison or out of prison?
Is it better for them to have a dad who has money or a dad who has no money?

Being bitter is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to suffer.

Just move on from it. He will not go for 50/50 as 1) he will need to work to repay the mortgage he has taken (and to maintain his gambling habit). 2) Even if he wants 50/50, he does not have the money to take it to court, so it is a non-starter, he probably wouldn't even want to have to pay a solicitor for anything.
You are not married and don't share property, so neither of you need solicitor involvement. Can you see a scenario where he'd want to spend the thousands it costs to take you to court? Does he have family behind him who would bankroll that?
It would not be in your interest to ensure he has a criminal record or a spell in prison resulting in no maintenance payments. It's his mess, just leave him to it. He is in such a mess that it is doubtful he would have the headpace or the means to fight you in court, so you may as well drop it.
If in the unlikely event he got hold of more thousands of spare cash to take it to court, you have plenty of evidence as it is.

Er, how do you make that one out? They've got children - does he contribute towards supporting them? If so, how will he do so, if there's no money?

You’re confusing his financial obligation to his children, which is paying child maintenance, with his financial obligation to you, which is zero because you aren’t married. If you are separating and you can’t afford to rent your current property alone on your sole income then you need to end the tenancy and find and pay for your own housing and he needs to find and pay for his. Depending on your income you may be eligible for universal credit and help with childcare. Take a look at an online benefits calculator for an indication of what you might be able to claim.

Separating means you’re no longer a family unit or a financial unit, and you have absolutely nothing to gain either financially or in terms of his access to your children by focusing on a mortgage which is fortunately nothing to do with you.

Child maintenance will be based on income. What he did with the £700k or whether he provided the lender with false documents is completely unconnected. Hence why people are saying it’s not the OP’s concern.

I'm struggling to understand the mortgage bit here.

My understanding is that you never actually have sight of the mortgage money - i.e., the money does not physically go into your bank account?

What am I missing here?

How much do you contribute, is it just his share or does he normally pay the lot?

I think it's a loan secured against a property (maybe equity release?) he owns so it's called a mortgage but it came through as available cash?

I suspect this type of tactic will backfire. His actions do indicate someone who has questionable character and financial ethics but you need to consider how it reflects on you. You were aware of it or had suspicions of fraud but chose not to report for 2 years. Now you’re looking to report in order to reduce his position in relation to his children. Whilst not straight out blackmail (yet) it certainly has some markers to it.
Either way this course of action would not assist you.

He probably did a further advance and made out jt was for renovation or something?

Reality is, he can afford nursery fees. He will have to sell the £1m property, pay off the debts and then learn to live within his means.

Normally half each but this term doesn't have the money so I paid it all. A couple of years ago before this mortgage/loan, he again didn't have money so I paid 100% for a few months.