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Potentially homeless soon, advice needed.

Ok long story short...

I have a lot of debt (28k unsecured) and a joint mortgage of 150k with an ex-partner. My ex lives in our property (a one bed flat). It has no/very little equity in it. She has paid all of the mortgage for 4 years as I have lived elsewhere and she refused to move out so I did and she offerred to pay the mortgage as a compromise. For the last year I've been trying to get her to agree to sell or remortgage but she doesnt reply, just ignores any messages/phone calls but still lives there.

I currently live 120 miles away, with my current partner. I live with her, in her flat which she owns. We are having a really bad time and both of us want to end the relationship. We can't live under the same roof, we argue a lot and she has told me she wants me out within the week.

I have no family or friends nearby, she lives in quite an isolated place and I commute into London. My nearest family is 180 miles away and nearest friends are back where my mortgaged property is but I couldnt stay with them longer than a day.

Basically, I have nowhere to stay! I have a reasonable job that pays ok but I have high debts and no savings or credit cards to use. My credit rating is poor so anywhere wants me to pay 6 months upfront or have a guarantor which I cant do. I literally have about £130 in my account to last until payday which is 3 weeks away. I have a gambling problem which I am trying to fix through GA/CBT but still struggle. I dont have a good relationship with my family so cant borrow money from anyone. I have suffered recently from quite bad anxiety and stress which I take medication for.

So...

How can I get somewhere to live within a week?!

Do I have any right to enter my mortgaged property even if my ex still lives there and she has been paying it for 4 years? This would only be so I had a roof over my head.
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Comments

  • Sounds like you need to find a place as someone's lodger. Live-in landlords don't always carry out credit-checks and some might not demand a full month's rent as deposit.

    You say that your current partner owns the property which you presently live in but have you been paying her rent or any other financial contribution which could be interpreted as rent and/or a share of the mortgage? This could have bought you some rights. That could be parlayed into her paying you a sum adequate to finance a move.

    If you are a joint-owner with your ex then you have a legal right to enter and occupy the property. Whether that's truly feasible under the circs is another question entirely.
  • lisyloo
    lisyloo Posts: 30,010 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Yes you have a right to enter and occupy your own property.
    If you plan to do this then you need to make sure your ex is notified.
    Recorded delivery is one option.

    Obviously it's going to be tricky sharing with an ex but yes you have rights.
    You should expect to share the mortgage payments.
    Your ex can stay or leave but can't actually expel you from your own property.

    The other option is lodging.
  • Sounds like you need to find a place as someone's lodger. Live-in landlords don't always carry out credit-checks and some might not demand a full month's rent as deposit.

    You say that your current partner owns the property which you presently live in but have you been paying her rent or any other financial contribution which could be interpreted as rent and/or a share of the mortgage? This could have bought you some rights. That could be parlayed into her paying you a sum adequate to finance a move.

    If you are a joint-owner with your ex then you have a legal right to enter and occupy the property. Whether that's truly feasible under the circs is another question entirely.

    My current partner has bought the flat she was renting from the landlord last month, so mortgage payments started this month - I paid half as a form of rent. Prior to this I paid half her rent/bills for the prior 8 months. Thing is, I wasn't listed on the tenancy.

    I know I'm not a priority to house, Im a "professional", now single male with no children in his mid-twenties, I'd be bottom of the pile when it comes to housing through a local authority. I know that. But it doesn't make my situation easy to handle for me.

    I have £130 to last me til payday, to include food and any rent. I don't think theres anywhere (from looking on spareroom.co.uk and elsewere) that would let me rent for anything affordable to me.

    Like you say, just turning up at my mortgaged property where my ex is living who I haven't seen for 4-5 years isn't going to be a walk in the park. I know she has a new partner too. She doesn't return any phone calls, ignores messages. I sent her messages on facebook which I can see she reads but doesnt reply.

    Very frustrating.

    I know my gambling and debts are a big issues, but I need to solve my short term problem of actually living somewhere. Are there any charities or local authorities that would temporarily house me til I get paid?

    When I do get paid, I have no references for rent (my ex won't give me one, I'm not on any tenancy and lived in my old flat which I owned/still do) and my credit rating is very poor - I can't even afford to pay bankruptcy fees (I have been advised to go bankrupt by various debt agencies).

    So much to deal with.
  • lisyloo wrote: »
    Yes you have a right to enter and occupy your own property.
    If you plan to do this then you need to make sure your ex is notified.
    Recorded delivery is one option.

    Obviously it's going to be tricky sharing with an ex but yes you have rights.
    You should expect to share the mortgage payments.
    Your ex can stay or leave but can't actually expel you from your own property.

    The other option is lodging.

    With entering my own property, having not been there for 5 years, not having any keys etc, and with her having lived and paid the mortgage solely by herself for the last 4-5 years, legally there won't be any problem with me just turning up (providing I have given her written notice in advance?) I've heard of things like occupancy orders/right of occupation etc for situations like this whereby if she can prove she has lived there alone and paid the mortgage herself then she has the right to live there and prohibit me from living there too? Am I right?
  • For the moment I'd forget going back to the jointly-owned property.

    Have you put the word out among your work-colleagues and friends that you're looking for a room short-term? It's only three weeks or so until Christmas, so there's likely to be someone somewhere looking for some extra cash. I know loads of people with a spare room or a sofa who could be relied on/imposed on in a pinch. Maybe you do, too?
  • For the moment I'd forget going back to the jointly-owned property.

    Have you put the word out among your work-colleagues and friends that you're looking for a room short-term? It's only three weeks or so until Christmas, so there's likely to be someone somewhere looking for some extra cash. I know loads of people with a spare room or a sofa who could be relied on/imposed on in a pinch. Maybe you do, too?

    I do, but unfortunately they live too far out from work for me to commute in and out in time (I start early and finish late too) as I moved away from friends/family for work miles away. I will ask at work but I work in a fairly small department within a large organisation and have only worked there a few months so could be extremely awkward but needs must..
  • Does this large organisation have an intranet or similar?

    Needs must when the devil drives and all that....
  • Pixie5740
    Pixie5740 Posts: 14,515 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Eighth Anniversary Name Dropper Photogenic
    Does this large organisation have an intranet or similar?

    Needs must when the devil drives and all that....

    I second this. A friend of mine has successfully been renting out his spare rooms this way for years. You might find someone already advertising a spare room on the intranet at work.

    As an aside, you and your ex are still financially linked through the joint mortgage. When you become bankrupt (is it one of the free debt charities such as Step Change or CAP you've been speaking with? Do not pay for debt advice!) it will also destroy her credit file. You could use this as leverage to get her to sell or buy you out.
  • Pixie5740 wrote: »
    When you become bankrupt (is it one of the free debt charities such as Step Change or CAP you've been speaking with? Do not pay for debt advice!) it will also destroy her credit file. You could use this as leverage to get her to sell or buy you out.

    No it wont destroy her credit file. Any bankruptcy of yours will have nothing to do with her. However she may be forced to sell the flat or have a second charge placed on it for debt owed by you.

    You may be able to force her to sell
  • Pixie5740
    Pixie5740 Posts: 14,515 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Eighth Anniversary Name Dropper Photogenic
    Talc1234 wrote: »
    No it wont destroy her credit file. Any bankruptcy of yours will have nothing to do with her. However she may be forced to sell the flat or have a second charge placed on it for debt owed by you.

    You may be able to force her to sell

    ...but they're financially linked.
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