bought with a friend and now have big problems

tomstickland

I've been thinking about this a bit now I'm sober.
I think a possible rescue route is to tart up the house, remain amicable with your friend and then try to rent some of it out, or move back in. Last it out until the redemption period is over.

ktm_hansi

Thanks for all your ideas and putting different views across.

We have approached him regarding renting his room out, but he wants us to find a tenant and also the rent won't cover his mortgage - he seems to think we should cover the remainder. The difficulty is getting enough money from the room to pay for his costs.

We need to be at the house as this is the only time I have with my son and it would incredibly unfair to rent two of our rooms out and bring him to London especially as we have the forest, beach and nice garden to share with him. The main intention of the house was so I could spend quality time with my son.

We could bite the bullet and pay the redemption fee 50/50 and then I can go it alone, or we can try to resolve the situation with the flatmate (although neither party can understand each other's views). We will have to wait and see what time brings!

Ian_W

BoL and hope it all works out OK in the end.

Wickedkitten

I thought the main intention of the house was to tart it up and sell it within 5 years?

ktm_hansi

Wickedkitten - that is still our intention but over the course of that five years I have a place to stay with my son and soon to be new family.

Wickedkitten

ktm_hansi wrote:

Wickedkitten - that is still our intention but over the course of that five years I have a place to stay with my son and soon to be new family.

I'm just asking because you said that you bought the house over a year ago, but then you also said that over the course of the year you have been decorating your room and your sons room.

If you started out with the aim of selling the house on and your flatmate is the one doing the work, then you flip the script and decide that you want the house as a home for you and your family, then I can see why he would end up being a bit miffed about the whole thing.

BobProperty

ktm_hansi wrote:

...We have approached him regarding renting his room out, but he wants us to find a tenant and also the rent won't cover his mortgage - he seems to think we should cover the remainder....

Again, he doesn't want much does he?

ktm_hansi wrote:

...We could bite the bullet and pay the redemption fee 50/50...

From what you have said, where is he going to get the 50% from?

I have a suggestion for you. Is there some sort of arbitration scheme available through a solicitor, business chamber, charity, whatever, who could get you both to sit down and agree all the details and what happens in all the possible scenarios?
Edited to add apology to dander as they had already suggested this.

ktm_hansi

I agree BobProperty - we are trying to remain calm and keep the communication channels open, but it is very difficult as he does not respond to any of our emails and he disappears the weekends we are down. I have just gone overdrawn again and paid a hefty penalty because he hasn't paid his part of the mortgage, which he either intends to go out late or not at all. If it is the latter then yes we will be talking to the solicitor but discussing legal proceedings.

In answer to your comments WickedKitten - the only room we have now finished is my son's room. It was already discussed with my flatmate at the start that we were going to do this for two reasons. The first is that this was the worst room in the house and secondly, this is my son's first room (he has to share in his mum's house), so we wanted it to be a little special. We now have to do our room next as we are going to have a new born in the room and we wanted to paint it prior, so the baby can settle here.

My flatmate has winnie the pooh wallpaper in his room. It would have made a lot of sense for him to do his room first, instead of ripping things out in the communal areas. I must stress that my flatmate is not doing all the work. He starts a project doing all the fun stuff and then leaves it half finished for us to complete. He has ruined two rooms over 16months of being in the house.

Lastly we have never had the intention of moving down to Dorset and making it a family home as well my flatmate knows. It was only ever supposed to be a 5 year project of doing the house up while spending time with my son. He is miffed because he wants his own place and resents the fact that we are down every other weekend - despite the fact that we own 56% of the house and (as I keep mentioning) paying half the bills when we are not even there! I would be very happy for him to completely move out of my life as I am starting to resent his temper tantrums especially when we are blatantly helping him out financially!

mountainofdebt

catch him on the hop, so to speak if he won't answer your emails or are there when you are?

I would take some time off work and go down there unexpectedly and thrash the situation out.

zag2me

Yes i agree, sending emails is pointless. You need a calm face to face chat.