Protecting your house from future Girlfriend

Person_one

I can't believe people are recommending not moving in together until married as a way to protect assets. Where's the smiley for a face palm?

Co-habiting is the time when you figure out if you can actually get along under the same roof, when you iron out all the differences in your approaches to finances, housework, social lives etc. and essentially do a 'dry run' without too much commitment.

If you don't learn until after you're married that you can't stand living together the divorce will be a lot more expensive than a separation of cohabitees!

Ulfar

There is no problem with her moving in just don't have her pay anything towards the mortgage or utility bills. I would only have her pay 25% of the council tax as that is the discount I would lose and half of the food shopping.

Also do not pay of her debts if she has any or take on any new debts together.

jennifernil

What I find really odd is tbat, apart from one poster, you are all assuming that it is always the case that a (gold digger) girlfriend is moving in with a man!

Come On guys, the girls are just as empowered as you are, well, at least in my family. I am actually quite offended that most of you are assuming that the girl is moving into the guy's place!

Russe11

get a boyfriend instead



Really i'm not the most PC of people, all this reference to "her" should really be "partner" to cover the situation in discussion.

jetfire02

I understand the OP's concern as I'm in the same boat. I'm about to invest 20K of my hard earned saving into a flat and plan to pay the mortgage and house tax entirely through my earnings. I would hate to lose half of all my assets (car, motorbike, flat, etc), if the girl and I found out we were incompatible within a years time .... and then the right one came along

Here is an interesting story. I know its a bit extreme and not every women is like this, but it is sad that things like this can happen in todays world.

Damn! new users cannot post links because of spam blah blah, please google "businessman-relives-horror-of-spurned-ex-accusing-him-of-rape-115875-22708117" to read the full story.

For those of you who cannot be bothered to google, its about a business man who gets kicked out of his own £1.5M home, because his girlfriend made 52 compained about him to the cops behind his back:eek: and even got a restraining order to prevent him from entering his own house. It was only recently that one of her friends told the truth in court and then he got his old house, car and job back in order.

Gwhiz

Can we all be clear on something .... THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A COMMON LAW WIFE IN THE UK.

Just allowing someone to move in with you is not risking your hard earned wealth.

travelodger

OP -- ignore the negative comments. I own MY house, and would be worried about any claim a boyfriend could make if he moved in, BUT take BitterandTwisted's advice.

There is no such thing as a common law wife. If she invests nothing, she cannot force you to sell your house and give her ANYTHING.

aqueoushumour01

i can't believe that in this day and age this kind of question is taboo and attracts snide comments from some people. it is right to consider the financial impact of a break-up. After all, most relationships will fail. For many couples, each partner may be bringing a broadly similar amount of money to the relationship so a half-half split won't have a material impact. But, where there's a financial gulf between two people, a break-up can have a profoundly negative financial impact on one and positive financial impact on the other. It's simply sensible to consider these issues beforehand instead of burying ones head into the sand and pretending that they'll live happily ever after with the first person they have a serious relationship with (which could happen of course, but why not consider what if it doesn't work out - nothing wrong with that.)