MY EX WANTS HALF MY HOUSE!

[dianita1978]

My partner and i lived together for 2 years. I owned my house already when he moved in and we never married or had him put onto my mortgage. He never had his name on any bill or contributed to anything. I had an extension done in 2010 costing 28k which me and my family paid for. But stupidly i left him at home while the work was done. Ive heard hes going round telling everyone hes seen a solicitor and is trying to make a claim on my house. To my horror the invoices from the extension are in his name . Does this mean he has any rights? He was simply the person who was at home handing my money to the builders!! I have bank books showing where the majority of the money came from. Im so worried. I havent received any solicitors letters but he is currently on an assault charge against me so im wondering if this why. Help please!!

[Everhelpful]

I would see a Solicitor,sharpish.!!

[mrs_overall]

Ditto

[zebo]

As your money paid for the extension, can you get duplicate bills, receipts etc in your name? Surely if you've commissioned work and arrange for the payment the bills should have been in your name.

[FredPuli43]

They'll try anything once ! By 'they' I mean some ex-partners, not all of them, though 'they' seem disproportionately numerous.

Did you have a joint bank account? Even if you can show only that the majority of the money came from you (and your family too, maybe), he still has to prove that he paid the rest or a substantial part of it, to get any claim going and then only to the extent of his contribution. Everything seems against him, even had you been married. The pattern of behaviour suggests plainly, he not contributing in any other way, that that it is very unlkely that he ever made this alleged contribution. It's a very hard burden for him to shift, to make any such proof. It was not in his character to make such contribution. It doesn't sound as though it was wthin his finances; was he at home because he wasn't working or for some other reason (might shifts etc) ?

It does sound that you were to some extent supporting him. even if he did pay something, your support might well have cancelled it out on balance anyway.

[FredPuli43]

^^ 'night shifts' not 'might shifts' (though 'might shifts' does conjure up a happy picture) !

[dianita1978]

we didnt have a joint account. I applied and was granted planning permission before i met him. I was just stupid enough to leave him to deal with the builders while i was at work. He wasnt working at the time and was basically living with me for nothing. I have bank books statements for the majority of the money. And the builder said that he will do copies in my name but i already think my ex partner has copies as he was coniving enough to have a key cut to my house and car when we split. Surely the law will see sense and know he's out for what he can get and he met me with nothing and never contributed?! I am going to seek advice any way

[Barmaid]

I agree with Fred. The burden of proof is on him to show that he acquired half of your property by agreement or alternatively a share of your property by putting money in. If you have the accounting records which show that the money came from you, even though the invoice might be in his name, it is pretty worthless. I'm guessing it's a try on. It is in your favour that you had separate finances and that the house was also in your name. He faces an uphill struggle on this one.

Might be a good idea to tee up a solicitor sooner rather than later though.

[jomifl]

We have a family friend who was in a similar situation to you except that she was married to the to$$er for about 8 years. At the divorce he got the computer. So no need to be despondent, just make sure you get legal help.

[dianita1978]

Thank you to all who responded. I've spent most of the bank holiday stressing and worrying silly. But today I've woke up and am thinking rationally but I will seek advice. I went through a divorce before I met him and my ex hub got 10k even though we were married, had 3 kids and bought the house together . So I guess he might be entitled to the shed in my garden he built which is fallin apart ;)

[Mojo-Jo-Jo]

my ex tried exactly the same thing. The solicitor said I could offer him say, 5 grand to shut him up but truth was he didn't have a leg to stand on.
The next time he threatens it, just say I've sought advice. Go for it.