We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
We're aware that dates on the Forum are not currently showing correctly. Please bear with us while we get this fixed, and see Site feedback for updates.

I have paid/am paying for my Ex's kitchen. Legal rights to it or money back?

Ryjay22
Ryjay22 Posts: 4 Newbie
First Post
edited 31 January 2023 pm31 12:18PM in Marriage, relationships & families
I'm not sure if this the right thread but I can't find something more specific!!
I left my Ex in January 2022 (my fault). In the previous year, we had decided together to replace the kitchen in the house that she owns, from wren kitchens. It would cost around £12k. I paid the deposit of around £5k using savings, overdraft and credit card and agreed to a 48 month loan from Barclays (£188 pm).I did this because she had bad credit ratings and could not get the loan. I have been paying it back since because it was in my name. She refuses to pay the monthly loan payment and as such I am now in a DMP via Stepchange (who are wonderful btw) because of the Credit card/loan repayments. 
Whilst in the 2 year relationship, I also paid for her new patio, holidays and bathroom replacement but as I was living there, I am willing to let that go. My issue is that I don't want to keep paying for something I am not using and that has obviously added value to her house!!

My question is What is my legal right to the ownership of that kitchen? I would obviously like her to pay for the next 3 years of loan instalments but if she continues to refuse, can I remove the kitchen in the hope of selling on to at least get some money back, despite how little it would be?!
We are obviously not the best of friends and I would prefer not to contact her but I am putting myself in to a precarious financial position for something she will be benefitting from for many years to come

Thank you in advance for your help

«1

Comments

  • DullGreyGuy
    DullGreyGuy Posts: 15,737 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    How would you propose getting the kitchen back if you dont want to speak to them? Who's name was on the Wren invoice?

    Having paid for the improvement to the property there is an argument potentially that you have a legal interest in it but it comes down to what the agreements were at the time the payments were made however it can be costly to get a court order to award you a share and it only gets fully resolved when your ex either sells or decides to buy you out. 
  • How would you propose getting the kitchen back if you dont want to speak to them? Who's name was on the Wren invoice?

    Having paid for the improvement to the property there is an argument potentially that you have a legal interest in it but it comes down to what the agreements were at the time the payments were made however it can be costly to get a court order to award you a share and it only gets fully resolved when your ex either sells or decides to buy you out. 
    I'm sorry, newbie and probably didn't make it entirely clear. 
    I will obviously have to speak to her at some point and don't really want the kitchen, just the upcoming 36 payments that are left to pay. Selling the kitchen would be a last resort! My name is on the Wren invoice
    I have no financial interest in her house but she will be benefitting twice, a new kitchen and house price uplift whilst I am getting further in debt. My outlook on it is that if it was a car that I paid for/continue to pay for, then I could collect the keys and drive away, that's a bit more difficult with a fitted kitchen.
    Thank you for your response
  • DullGreyGuy
    DullGreyGuy Posts: 15,737 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    Obviously no one here can give you legal advice; if you have Legal Expenses cover on your Home insurance they may well include Family law in the 24/7 legal advice line thats often included. 

    I suspect you have to be realistic about their capability to pay if their credit is as bad as you say and the likely legal costs would be to go through the courts to try and get an order. 

    Personally, it feels it is very messy as it'd be hard to prove that when the kitchen was ordered and installed the intent was that if you left you'd be taking it with you... it would be a much more likely that at the time it was to be an improvement to your joint home and as such at least in part a gift to her which you cannot unilateral rescind now that circumstances have changed. There can also be other complexities about leaving a property technically uninhabitable without a functioning kitchen. 


  • user1977
    user1977 Posts: 16,750 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Sixth Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 31 January 2023 am31 11:56AM
    It's her house and the kitchen is now part of it - so no, you have no right to physically remove it. And I don't think it would be as straightforward as you seem to think even if it were a moveable item of property we were talking about.
  • Thank you DullGreyGuy, appreciate your time
  • born_again
    born_again Posts: 18,418 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Fifth Anniversary Name Dropper
    Is this EX as in Wife or otherwise?

    Perhaps better to ask team to move to Marriage, relationships & families

    As not a consumer rights issue.
    Life in the slow lane
  • Is this EX as in Wife or otherwise?

    Perhaps better to ask team to move to Marriage, relationships & families

    As not a consumer rights issue.
    Not a wife, a Covid relationship! 
    Thanks I will ask
  • Ryjay22 said:
    I'm not sure if this the right thread but I can't find something more specific!!
    I left my Ex in January 2022 (my fault). In the previous year, we had decided together to replace the kitchen in the house that she owns, from wren kitchens. It would cost around £12k. I paid the deposit of around £5k using savings, overdraft and credit card and agreed to a 48 month loan from Barclays (£188 pm).I did this because she had bad credit ratings and could not get the loan. I have been paying it back since because it was in my name. She refuses to pay the monthly loan payment and as such I am now in a DMP via Stepchange (who are wonderful btw) because of the Credit card/loan repayments. 
    Whilst in the 2 year relationship, I also paid for her new patio, holidays and bathroom replacement but as I was living there, I am willing to let that go. My issue is that I don't want to keep paying for something I am not using and that has obviously added value to her house!!

    My question is What is my legal right to the ownership of that kitchen? I would obviously like her to pay for the next 3 years of loan instalments but if she continues to refuse, can I remove the kitchen in the hope of selling on to at least get some money back, despite how little it would be?!
    We are obviously not the best of friends and I would prefer not to contact her but I am putting myself in to a precarious financial position for something she will be benefitting from for many years to come

    Thank you in advance for your help

    You might well be due something towards the value of the kitchen but you'd have to go to court and get a ruling in your favour. What you cannot do is just force access to her house and take away her kitchen. Nor can you unilaterally assign a debt to her - it's in your name so you're on the hook for the payments. 

    You might benefit from some legal advice but what's the second hand value of a Wren kitchen because that's what you would be arguing over I imagine. And it's probably a 6-12 month process to get a ruling from a court - closer to 12 I would think. So you'll need to keep paying/ 
  • Mojisola
    Mojisola Posts: 35,571 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Ryjay22 said:
    I left my Ex in January 2022 (my fault).
    In the previous year, we had decided together to replace the kitchen in the house that she owns, from wren kitchens. It would cost around £12k.
    I paid the deposit of around £5k using savings, overdraft and credit card and agreed to a 48 month loan from Barclays (£188 pm).
    Whilst in the 2 year relationship, I also paid for her new patio, holidays and bathroom replacement but as I was living there, I am willing to let that go.
    By spending on these improvements to her house, you will have built up a beneficial interest in the property, unless you have made a formal agreement otherwise.
    Worth getting legal advice about.
    It would cost you to bring a case but then it would also cost her to fight it.
    Usually cheaper for the house owner to come to a settlement.
  • silvercar
    silvercar Posts: 48,695 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Academoney Grad Name Dropper
    What happens if you stop paying? Do Wren repossess the kitchen? Or do you get a black mark against an already bad credit rating? What do stepchange advise?
    I'm a Forum Ambassador on the housing, mortgages, student & coronavirus Boards, money saving boards. I volunteer to help get your forum questions answered and keep the forum running smoothly. Forum Ambassadors are not moderators and don't read every post. If you spot an illegal or inappropriate post then please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com (it's not part of my role to deal with this). Any views are mine and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.com.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 348.4K Banking & Borrowing
  • 252.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 452.4K Spending & Discounts
  • 241K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 617.3K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 175.7K Life & Family
  • 254.1K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.