Splitting up!

MAC1234_2

Hi all, this is my first post on here so please excuse me if it is not in the right place. I am looking for some help on the property front, to cut a long story short but still trying to keep enough detail in my story is as follows :- lived with partner for approx 10 years in a house that she bought while we were together, the house was a total wreck and over the last several years I have virtually totally rebuilt it, i was a self employed builder at the time and spent many many many hours working on the house. We have now split up and i find myself back at my parents without the preverbial pot to p##s in, in fact (and this is why its perhaps relevant to this site) im an awfull lot of money in debt now. Is there anyone here who can help me or even point me in the right direction as to whether im entitled to any of the house or could i even bill her for all the work that i have done over the years, this would very possiblly clear my debt off. Please feel free to ask me any questions that you may have about my problem and let me add that there are no children involved with either party, my name is not on the deeds but i did help pay running costs but i have little or no proof of this. Hopefully someone out there can help me!

geoffky

Did you contribute towards the bills and mortgage?

MAC1234_2

thanks for the quick reply, there was no mortgage as the house was brought very cheaply as it needed gutting

MAC1234_2

sorry missed a bit, yes i contributed to the bills but i cant say that i have any proof

geoffky

You need to find a solicitor who can help you , as this will get complicated ....good luck.

BitterAndTwisted

If you did all that work and you supplied the materials and can prove it I'd say you have a decent chance of getting a solicitor to negotiate something for all your troubles. At least half of the equity that house has gained in ten years, at the very least.

_bankrupted

... but the flip-side is that you have had 10 years free rent. Those bills you have paid are utilities and food, you would have had these costs if you rented on your own.

If she paid you a sum equal to 10 years rent would you be happy or would you want more? If it came to a civil case and you tried to sue for the value you have added to the property then the 10 years free living would be given in consideration to her case. Also any increase in value of the property due to house price inflation you have no claim to as you weren't funding it's purchase.

So the above is the starting position for both you and your ex's position. Litigation would swing one way or the other based on how good your solicitors were.

The best scenario is to get your ex to agree that you had added value to the property and come to some amicable agreement, otherwise the only winners are the solicitors.

But get some legal advise, the above is my non-legal interpretation of the situation


Edit.

Read your post as implying the original purchase of the property was done on your ex's own, you didn't put up half the cash.

sonastin

I think you are entitled to something. As others have said, its gonna come down to how good your solicitors are so its worth doing a bit of research to a) find good ones and b) work out a way of paying for good ones.

You have put time and skill into improving the property. You could perhaps argue that you gave up the opportunity to use that time for paid work in order to enhance the property (if you were working during normal working times). Giving up the opportunity for paid work to "keep house" for a partner is grounds for a claim on a share of the property I believe.

But definitely speak to a GOOD solicitor on this - preferably one that comes with recommendations

Batchy

its a hard fight, but unless she can show a fully upto date rental agreement, and paid up rent book, then unfortunately, it would be assumed that your common law relationship was like a marriage, and you split things down the line!

You solicitor will have a lot of work to do, but im sure he /she will manage just fine and you should rely on their advice rather than an internet forum, this will be a large amount of money and not hundreds but 10ks lol