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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

Controlling / financially abusive partner

17 replies

ET912 · 26/09/2025 19:34

Hello everyone, I’ve been meaning to post this for months but just haven’t had the confidence to. All I ask is that if you can’t be kind or constructive please don’t reply as I’m really struggling at the moment and not sure it would be beneficial for me. I’ve been in my current relationship for 4 years. We had a baby in January and that’s when it all started to go down hill. As soon as our baby was born he became really controlling both financially and emotionally. I won’t go into mass detail as I’d be here all day, but a couple of examples of what he does include me having to explain what I have spent my money on, not being allowed out with friends without my daughter or I’m accused of “wasting his money” but he literally does what he wants. Last year he was renovating his house and long story short he ran out of money. We were living at my house with a plan to move into his before the baby was born. He couldn’t get a loan because of an old CCJ for a parking fine he never got round to contesting. I offered to get the loan for him and he just makes the payments every month which he has always done to be fair to him and he’s never argued it. Lately he’s been so horrible to me and things have been so bad that I think he sensed I wanted to leave and he made it clear that if I went then he’d stop paying the loan and just make life really difficult for me in general. I still have my house that I rent out so could move back there but I literally have no money. SMP doesn’t even cover my mortgage and council tax let alone anything else. I can’t get funded nursery hours until my daughter is nearly 1 due to how the threshold falls, so I can’t go back to work just yet. He constantly drags me down about my appearance and he’s also humiliated me a couple of times in public, to the point where I asked him if he even liked me as a person! He said I was being stupid but he honestly comes across that way. I understand the type of person he is and it isn’t behaviour I’m going to stand for and allow my daughter to witness. I’m pretty much a single mum anyway because he does absolutely nothing and hasn’t since day 1. Obviously if all this behaviour was apparent before the baby was born then I would have walked away, but he was very clever clearly and now he knows I’m trapped, so treats me how he wants.

Is there anywhere I can call to get financial advice or has anyone been in a similar situation that got help? I really don’t know what to do and I feel so trapped everyday. I look at him and feel so much anger and hate at how he’s treated me and our daughter.

OP posts:
Endofyear · 26/09/2025 19:43

I think this is very tricky. How much is the loan and how long will it take to pay off? I would bide your time if you can until its paid off. Then I would leave, move back to your house and maybe get a female lodger or take in language students to help pay the mortgage. Can you do some work from home? Do you have family support?

Nicefreshbedding · 26/09/2025 19:48

You are not trapped.

Luckily you have your own property & when you return to work you can give notice to your tenants & leave him to move back to your own house.

You need to play the long game & start planning!

It's not long until your DD is 1.
Start considering childcare - do you have family who could help out in the short term until the funding kicks in?

Can you return to your previous job?

Maybe try speaking to the CAB and see if they can advise re benefits you could claim.

Pollqueen · 26/09/2025 20:00

Sorry OP this sounds really hard and I was in a similar situation many years ago so can empathise

The main thing that seems to be stopping you from leaving right now is the loan, so how much is left to pay and when will it be paid off? Once this is paid off you are free so don't have any more kids with him because starting again as a single parent is relatively easy, not so much with more. Good luck

StrawberryWater · 26/09/2025 20:02

How much is the loan and how much is left to pay?

Squishydishy · 26/09/2025 20:05

I agree with others it might pay to be strategic on this one. Don’t give any indication you’re leaving. Get him to continue paying the loan back. Try to have something in writing from him about the loan eg the bank payments into your account can he reference renovation loan or something.
Wait til you’re not financially so insecure on mat leave, when you’re back at full earning you will feel less vulnerable.

goos luck!

RandomMess · 26/09/2025 20:06

What do you have in writing about the loan, potentially you could take it to small claims court especially as he has started the repayments.

If you left you could claim UC and maintenance from him via CMS all separate to the loan repayments.

ET912 · 26/09/2025 20:06

Nicefreshbedding · 26/09/2025 19:48

You are not trapped.

Luckily you have your own property & when you return to work you can give notice to your tenants & leave him to move back to your own house.

You need to play the long game & start planning!

It's not long until your DD is 1.
Start considering childcare - do you have family who could help out in the short term until the funding kicks in?

Can you return to your previous job?

Maybe try speaking to the CAB and see if they can advise re benefits you could claim.

I'm terrible for not giving all the information at first, sorry! I don’t have contact with my family which makes this all the more difficult. His mum is lovely but I know if it came down to it she wouldn’t help me. I got made redundant at 34 weeks, so obviously I qualified for SMP but don’t have a job to go back to. I’m currently looking for something that will work around the funding but as it stands I have to have a job before I can claim the funded hours (which makes sense)

I need to be in a position to do this alone financially as he’s self employed so he’d make it so I didn’t get any maintenance for her. Which is fine, I’d rather do it without him rather than wondering if he’s going to pay up every month! I just don’t understand why you would want to control someone to make them stay with you.

I've never heard of CAB, I will look into this, thanks!

OP posts:
ET912 · 26/09/2025 20:09

RandomMess · 26/09/2025 20:06

What do you have in writing about the loan, potentially you could take it to small claims court especially as he has started the repayments.

If you left you could claim UC and maintenance from him via CMS all separate to the loan repayments.

Ahh I never thought of this, I will look through our messages. He pays me the money every month then obviously it just comes out my account. I need to look into csa as he’s self employed and has a very clever accountant!

OP posts:
ET912 · 26/09/2025 20:11

StrawberryWater · 26/09/2025 20:02

How much is the loan and how much is left to pay?

There is about £13,300 left to pay back over 4 years

OP posts:
ET912 · 26/09/2025 20:12

Pollqueen · 26/09/2025 20:00

Sorry OP this sounds really hard and I was in a similar situation many years ago so can empathise

The main thing that seems to be stopping you from leaving right now is the loan, so how much is left to pay and when will it be paid off? Once this is paid off you are free so don't have any more kids with him because starting again as a single parent is relatively easy, not so much with more. Good luck

Thank you, there’s about 4 years left on the loan and I will definitely not be having anymore children 😂

OP posts:
Squishydishy · 26/09/2025 20:16

Can you tell him you’re finding things hard financially and you need him to increase his payments to you (ideally you want the 4 year sentence shortened to 2 years or less!). Do you think that would piss him off lots, I bet he can increase it but he’s comfortable at the current level

Merseymum1980 · 26/09/2025 20:21

Im guessing maybe you are from a different country of you haven't heard of cab
Could you maybe get in touch and reach out to old family?
Speak to a domestic abuse charity.
Even with a good accountant he d struggle to say low income.
I have my own business and with banks and everything and new laws , it would be really hard for him to fudge.
Good luck op

ET912 · 26/09/2025 20:22

Squishydishy · 26/09/2025 20:16

Can you tell him you’re finding things hard financially and you need him to increase his payments to you (ideally you want the 4 year sentence shortened to 2 years or less!). Do you think that would piss him off lots, I bet he can increase it but he’s comfortable at the current level

I could try I guess? It won’t hurt to ask, the worst he could say is no! I have to justify where my money is going and I think if he knew I was over paying on the loan then he’d be annoyed, because as far as he’s concerned it’s no skin off my nose?

OP posts:
ET912 · 26/09/2025 20:25

Merseymum1980 · 26/09/2025 20:21

Im guessing maybe you are from a different country of you haven't heard of cab
Could you maybe get in touch and reach out to old family?
Speak to a domestic abuse charity.
Even with a good accountant he d struggle to say low income.
I have my own business and with banks and everything and new laws , it would be really hard for him to fudge.
Good luck op

Thanks, I’m from the uk, I’ve just never been in this situation before or ever had to claim benefits so this is all very new to me. Thank you for your advice though!

OP posts:
RandomMess · 26/09/2025 20:37

Well as you don’t have a job you need to set up a private pension and get a nursery sorted for DC due to waiting lists so you can start applying for jobs. Set up a trust fund for DC too.

How’s your car, need a better one now you have DC?

I’m trying to think of valid reasons why you need the money.

Tenants not paying?

Jellybunny56 · 26/09/2025 20:42

I’m sorry you’re in this situation OP it must be really difficult.

My best advice, provided it is safe for you & your child, would be to start planning now and bide your time until the nursery funding kicks in. Start working on your CV, have a look at what is out there, give your tenants the appropriate notice so that you can move back into your house when the time is right, start applying for jobs- recruitment can be SLOW now, starting now gives you time to get everything lined up.

The goal being to have a job, nursery place & your home lined up ready at the same time.

Pollqueen · 26/09/2025 20:48

Well can you last 4 years? There is the option to take him to small claims but that's not straightforward either. It's difficult because ultimately you are luckily in a position to just walk away but he does hold the loan over you. Plus, if he is self employed he can dodge any financial support

Can you afford to go and talk this through with a solicitor?

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