Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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

I have no idea what to do...

53 replies

Welshgal72 · 06/07/2024 17:49

Just offloading my mixed up brain at the moment, please forgive me. To set the scene, I'm in a same-sex relationship. For the past three years my partner has lived in my house. She has her own house but she rents it to her married daughter.

A year ago my daughter finished university and has struggled to find full-time work. She has therefore moved back home, and spends half the week with me, and half with her dad. She works part-time and volunteers for a local charity. She also has ADHD and is perhaps a little less mature than many 23 years olds; she has periods of inertia and then periods of hyperactivity, but apart from some quirky personality traits, she's a fully functioning adult, helping out around the house, cooking her own food etc. She isn't difficult to be around.

The problem lies with my partner. She is constantly criticizing my daughter (to me not directly to my daughter), mocking her ways, and saying she needs to move out as we have no privacy. She doesn't have a good word to say about her and gets angry when she knows she's coming home. She says it's not normal for a 23 year old to live at home, and the atmosphere is becoming unbearable.

I feel unsettled in my own home and just don't know what to do. My partner won't ask her daughter to move, so she can return to her own home, she thinks it's my daughter who should go. I know it's not a permanent arrangement - my son moved in for a year after uni, and my daughter is heading off again in September... But I can't bear the pressure of effectively being asked to choose. This is my home, and in my eyes my daughter's too, while she needs it. For the record, my partner also refuses to make any contribution to bills as I earn more...yet wants to make the decisions about who lives here, even if it's temporary. I feel like I'm going crazy, and the atmosphere gets more toxic by the day.

Thanks for reading this xx

OP posts:
INeedAMumMoan · 06/07/2024 17:57

So it was bad enough reading the first bit - as you say your home is also your daughter’s home. Yes she’s an adult and if you think she’s being unreasonable in any way then you are perfectly within your rights to discuss this with her… however your partner should keep out of it
Then you casually mention that your partner doesn’t pay towards bills! WTF! She’s been living with you for free for 3 years?!
I think we all know who needs kicking out here and it’s not your daughter!

Giggorata · 06/07/2024 17:57

So your partner has lived with you for 3 years and not made any financial contribution because you earn more? If this was a man, we'd be saying cocklodger, wouldn't we.
Clitlodger?
She gets rent from her daughter (plus works?), and isn't paying her way at all.

Then we look at her attitude towards your daughter, who needs help at the moment, and her proprietorial attitude towards your home.
Doesn't sit right.

I think I would be making it clear to her that it's your house and your say.
If she doesn't like it, let her move back to her own house and share with her daughter.

TheseBootsAreWalking · 06/07/2024 17:58

Hey that's not on. It sounds like you are a very loving and caring mum and your daughter will remain in your life for the rest of your life. Your partner clearly is making things really difficult,, and the double standards, plus not contributing, she has it made.

She gets rent from her DD for her house, does not pay towards bills where she lives, yet wants to dictate who lives in YOUR house, and its your DD she is pushing out, downgrading and how dare she. That is not a partner, that is abuse both towards you, and your DD even if your DD does not know, but something tells me she may have an an idea how things are.

Your partner is not your financial responsibility, neither is her housing situation. And anyone who so blatantly verbalises what your DD is like or not like, should be out your house and not come back. Now find your worth, kick this puzzylodger out your home.

Hairyesterdaygonetoday · 06/07/2024 18:02

INeedAMumMoan · 06/07/2024 17:57

So it was bad enough reading the first bit - as you say your home is also your daughter’s home. Yes she’s an adult and if you think she’s being unreasonable in any way then you are perfectly within your rights to discuss this with her… however your partner should keep out of it
Then you casually mention that your partner doesn’t pay towards bills! WTF! She’s been living with you for free for 3 years?!
I think we all know who needs kicking out here and it’s not your daughter!

Agreed! You’re too soft-hearted for your own good, OP. With your daughter, that’s fair enough. But with your freeloading partner — no, she’s been living off you for so long that she now thinks she has a right to. She’s wrong.

Myblindsaredown · 06/07/2024 18:06

Oh my op, she’s a bully and a taker. She needs to pay her way and accept your daughter. Put a stop to this and tell her to move back home, if her daughter won’t move out, she can live with her. She’s using you.

Welshgal72 · 06/07/2024 18:07

Thank you everyone... These are my views too, but she has worn me down by telling me I'm obsessed with money, we're a couple so it shouldn't be an issue, I'd be paying the bills whether she was here or not... Yes, I know I'm stupid but I'm a quiet life girl and struggle with confrontation i.e. weak!

She does work yes, and her daughter pays her mortgage so she basically has very few outgoings.

I have confided in a close friend who also thinks she is a controlling bully, toxic, and our for what she can get.

OP posts:
ActualChips · 06/07/2024 18:11

She's making a mug of you, and you're letting her.

You're attracted to someone who mocks your daughter??

Tell her to get out of your property, don't engage in any arguing, just boot the leech out.

Welshgal72 · 06/07/2024 18:19

I think I've stuck it this long because she scares me. I feel ashamed to say that.

OP posts:
1twa · 06/07/2024 18:20

At least if this thread runs we'll determine what the female equivalent of a cocklodger is.

Sorry not helpful.

Welshgal72 · 06/07/2024 18:23

1twa · 06/07/2024 18:20

At least if this thread runs we'll determine what the female equivalent of a cocklodger is.

Sorry not helpful.

Funny though...open to suggestions!!

OP posts:
Walking12345 · 06/07/2024 19:03

You definitely need to ask her to leave. It sounds like you’ll find that hard but please try to find the strength.

FlyingHorses · 06/07/2024 19:15

Your kids come first. That’s it. It’s literally as simple as that. I would absolutely not stay in a relationship where my DC was mocked, or where they were made to feel uncomfortable in their own home. Plus not contributing to bills for 3 years because you’d be ‘paying bills whether she was here or not’? Um? Excuse me? What?
I am sorry to hear that she scares you, it doesn’t sound like a healthy dynamic at all.

Dillydollydingdong · 06/07/2024 19:19

Everyone who lives in a home needs to contribute towards the outgoings. Otherwise she's just a parasite living off you. It's time she went.

SamW98 · 06/07/2024 19:35

Dillydollydingdong · 06/07/2024 19:19

Everyone who lives in a home needs to contribute towards the outgoings. Otherwise she's just a parasite living off you. It's time she went.

💯- fair enough if as you earn more that you have a discussion about who contributes what but for her yo point blank refuse to contribute, mock your daughter and think she has a.say in who lives under YOUR roof.

As has been said if she was a man we’d all be saying get rid of the freeloading cocklodger - her being female makes no difference, she’s a scrounger.

MounjaroUser · 06/07/2024 19:42

She sounds absolutely awful. Protect yourself and your daughter and get this nasty freeloader out of your house.

Hairyesterdaygonetoday · 06/07/2024 19:46

she has worn me down by telling me … we're a couple so it shouldn't be an issue, I'd be paying the bills whether she was here or not

I heard exactly those same words from a (thank god) long ago ex-boyfriend, OP. He had very quickly moved into my flat, lost his job, “couldn’t afford” to pay for food and planned to use his benefit payments for pocket money.

He was shocked when I asked him to pay a share of our bills. He was cold to my nephew who was living with me, and objected to my cats sleeping on the bed. Basically, he was trying to take over my home, with me as unpaid cook/ housekeeper/ provider of sex and other comforts.

Just like you, I was a soft touch and didn’t like to be unkind. By the time I finally shook him off, I was ill with stress and had lost some friends.

Don’t be me, OP!

combinationpadlock · 06/07/2024 19:51

she needs to go back and live with her daughter, and leave you and your daughter in peace- of course your child still needs your love and support - there is a housing crisis! many of us still have adult children at home, and they should be made to feel welcome. I hope you get the strength together to tell her to go, hopefully right now today

Welshgal72 · 06/07/2024 20:12

@Hairyesterdaygonetoday you poor thing, that sounds awful for you... But well done for finally breaking free. Our situations sound very similar.

I don't think it's quite as bad... She does a lot of cleaning, cooking etc. But it's the attitude and the assumption I will pay for everything/refusal to pay anything, without even a discussion that just seems wrong. I've been in relationships before and it's the kind of thing we've discussed. She even sold her car and now uses mine... No contribution to insurance, tax etc. and of course, no discussion... It's just 'what couples do'...

The more I write, the more I see myself as a fool...

Anyway @Hairyesterdaygonetoday I truly hope life is calmer for you now. I understand how stressful it is. I am 57, used to look younger, now look way older...or so she tells me...

Yes...more red flags

You are all an amazing support here. Thank you

OP posts:
RandomMess · 06/07/2024 20:14

I hope you find the courage to end your relationship. You will be so much better if emotionally and financially.

Robin198 · 06/07/2024 20:15

OP, you sound lovely.
Your daughter sounds lovely.
Get rid of the Fanny Freeloader.

You deserve (and will end up with) much better. Know your worth.

x

hastalava · 06/07/2024 20:17

If you observed your daughter in a similar relationship where her partner did not contribute a penny and was freeloading as much as possible, what would you say to her?

Renamed · 06/07/2024 20:19

Can your friend be nearby for support when you ask your partner to leave?

CuppaTea23 · 06/07/2024 20:40

Oh no OP this not ok, and I can see from your comments that you know that. What do you need to help you take next steps? If you're scared of her, how could you feel less intimidated? @Robin198 has my vote for best female cocklodger name, fanny freeloader indeed!

Singleandproud · 06/07/2024 20:55

I think you rip the band aid off. Early tomorrow morning you say it's no longer working, she needs to pack up her things and move back into her home by the end of the day and just do it then and there. Don't buy any sob stories of there being no room, that is for them to work out when she arrives. Make sure you have black bags in and bag up her clothes in the laundry pile (or stealthily do it tonight), clothes in the wardrobe and drawers can go straight in bags. Same for toiletries. It really won't take long to pack her up. Does she have any furniture or larger items?

This sounds like a very toxic relationship, she's a freeloader, insults you and scares you. Being single is far better than that. You should thank your daughter moving back in on spurring you on to kick her out otherwise this could have gone on for years. 3 years is a solid amount of time to work out if you work together.

tuvamoodyson · 06/07/2024 20:58

Personally, she’d be out on her rear end as we speak. The choice is easy, your daughter stays and this grifter goes….right now!