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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

Can't bare to live here anymore but nowhere to go

9 replies

loandbeholder · 07/10/2024 13:16

Posted a couple of threads about emotionally and financially abusive partner. 11 years, 2 children and a mortgage together and I am at rock bottom. I've been desperately trying to keep my family together because I can't bear the thought of not being with my 3 & 4 year old every day, I don't want to give up time with them. We separated earlier in the year where I had to share time with them and I hated it, I almost felt worse off. We agreed to try again but things have gradually gotten worse than ever before.

Just last week we had a falling out. I'd been on my feet all day from 5am. Getting myself and both girls up, dressed and out of the house. Drop DD1 to school, DD2 to preschool and get myself to work with 2 minutes to spare. Finish work, straight to the car to pick up the girls. Get home, put a wash on and took them on bike ride. Hung up wash, put on another uniform load and start dinner. Whilst cooking I'm breaking up multiple arguments between DDs and hanging up uniform wash whilst also fetching juices/getting out requested toys. I'm running around like a headless chicken when he comes through the door. I plate up dinner and put it on the table. He knocks DDs plate on the floor. I clean it up and give her my meal instead. He sits down, eats all of his own while DDs eat along side him. I clean up the mess and upstairs without any of the meal I just cooked. I then bath the girls and get them in bed, then go to the gym. Return home to a mess and him smoking weed in the garden - he's left the washing out on the line and it's cold and damp. I told him that he expects too much from me and I'm exhausted carrying the entire load for everyone. He works 6 days a week most weeks but won't 'help me' financially, even though my wage is less than the outgoing bills he has me covering. His work doesn't benefit me or the children. He doesn't do anything around the house or for the kids. So I have to be a full time solo parent, whilst working and keeping a house running. I told him I can't cope with it anymore, it's like having 3 children. His solution to this is now 'not to buy him anything on the food shopping as he will be getting himself ready meals moving forward as he wouldn't want to be 'such a burden on me'.

I have just ordered the food shopping and bought meals for the girls only. Nothing for him, or myself. As I can't deal with the pettiness of it. He hasn't heard a word I've said and is now trying to punish me. I just can't take it anymore. But I've nowhere else to go and cannot get help to move elsewhere because I have a mortgage on our house (which won't sell as he dug a crater next to it 3 years ago claiming he would build an extension, and never did). I feel so low I truly just want to disappear from the face of the earth, but that isn't happening. So where do I go? What do I do Sad

OP posts:
maria2bela1 · 07/10/2024 13:30

You usually hear of these scenarios when the man is at least paying the bills. What on earth are you doing with him. Forget sharing the kids, tell him he is incapable of looking after them so he can have them on weekends? Leave! You are wasting your life with a useless, selfish person. If he hasn't changed even after a separation, he's probably not going to. Don't leave, tell him to leave.

loandbeholder · 07/10/2024 13:46

@maria2bela1 he has made me go halves on all bills including through maternity leave when I was earning pennies. My card is regularly declined because all of my wages are gone the minute they're paid in because of everything he has me covering. I can't afford to run the house alone though, so I can't ask him to leave 😔

OP posts:
category12 · 07/10/2024 14:00

Sounds like financial and emotional abuse. Speak to Women's Aid or local domestic abuse services about your options.

What bills are you covering? Only cover essentials for you and the kids, nothing of his.

If it includes the mortgage, maybe you could talk to your mortgage provider about going interest only while you sort things out. If you tell them it's due to a relationship breakdown they're likely to be sympathetic.

I would consider paying to get the hole filled in and grass-seeding it.

Sounds like your best bet will be to force a sale (or have him buy you out.)

Speak to citizens advice or a solicitor to help you work out what the next steps are legally.

category12 · 07/10/2024 14:05

Also if you separate, even if you're living in the same house temporarily, you can apply for universal credit on your own and get your wages topped up if you're on a low income. You'll have to sleep separately and stop doing any chores for him etc.

Catoo · 07/10/2024 14:11

OP you do have choices.

You have separated before and you can do it again. You don’t have to do everything all at once. Make a plan and do things step by step. Speak to Women’s Aid.

You can get the house on the market. Get some quotes to fill in the crater. Or ask him to buy you out and he can deal with the crater.

Since your DH seems to contribute nothing financially, you will likely be better off once separated and claiming benefits.

You will get used to sharing time with DC and he will probably see them less and less as time goes on anyway as he sounds useless. Anyway what’s the alternative? A miserable unhappy life for the next decade? DC growing up with a completely dysfunctional home and miserable mum?

Good luck OP. You’ll have a happier easier life for you and DC over the other side. And you’ll get there.

💐

iamawarriorwhojustcrieseasily · 07/10/2024 14:13

I support people in similar situations for a living. Please DM me if you want a step by step guide. All you need to do is make the decision, the rest can be sorted. You can likely stay in the house too until kids are 18. He has to keep paying his share of the mortgage unless he can buy you out.

The most important thing is that you and those kids stay together. Thats it. Screw everything else.

blackpooolrock · 07/10/2024 14:40

If he leaves you will likely get benefits. Can you ask someone to go through the process with you so you have a rough idea of what you might get?

maria2bela1 · 10/10/2024 13:15

@loandbeholder Once he's out you can apply for universal credit to top up what your wages don't cover like rent/bills etc. This will tie you over until you get a better job etc. don't be trapped because of money when there are options

maria2bela1 · 10/10/2024 13:16

Universal credit can also give help with mortgage

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