Mortgage without partner

stressedette

I own a property (mortgaged) in my sole name, which I live in with my partner and our 2 kids. 

Partner contributes a set monthly amount of “rent” which he transfers to me cover his share of bills and expenses. 

We do not share finances and are not financially linked. 

I am looking to move house. Partner has poor credit and significant debt, so new house would also be in my sole name. 

Because of this, affordability calculations are solely based on my income, which is as it should be. 

However, I wondered if there were any way to reasonably include his monthly rental contribution as part of my income, or if any lenders might take this into account? 

We don’t have a formal rental agreement, I don’t declare rental income to HMRC, and I don’t have a separate room for him. So I expect the answer is no! But just thought there may be some pearls of wisdom on here. 

I could afford the monthly repayments myself without his contribution, but the overall amount of borrowing open to me is far less without including this. 

He has paid me this set amount for a number of years, so evidenced through bank statements. 

The other thought I had was declaring it as child maintenance for the two kids, as part of a single person application. But assume I’d have to declare him living there. 

Hoenir

Either your partner is named on the mortgage or he isn't. That's the bottom line. Being creative could potentially lead to all number of issues. Likewise your partner needs to be disclosed to the lender. With an occupiers consent form being completed. 

Emmia

The moment he starts paying you "rent" that goes towards the mortgage (rather than a straight share of bills) they start getting equity in the property (and that includes your current property).

In the event you split up, they can make a claim - if you move to a new property where their money is more directly going into the property as part of the affordability of the mortgage, the strength of their claim grows.

Hopefully the money they're putting in is just bills e.g. council tax, gas electric, water,  etc.

ACG

There are mortgages out there where you could both go on the mortgage but only you on the deeds. 
However combined with bad credit and a partner living in the house im not sure. 

In general though I would say the answer is no as he could pack up and leave tomorrow and then you are left paying a larger mortgage. 

FlorayG

My cousin is in a similar situation - he pays the mortgage, she pays the bills, it works out about the same every month (because they have 2 kids that are included in 'bills'). The mortgage and deeds are in both their names and the "you pay this I pay that" agreement is informal between them. Could you do this? Or is there no way to put him onto the mortgage?

stressedette

There is no way to put him on the mortgage. 

His payments cover his share of bills and something towards expenses for our two children - I’m aware of the issues around him paying towards the mortgage and gaining an interest. 

If we were to split, he would be obligated to pay me child maintenance to help with costs of our two children. It’s just a bit frustrating that I’d be in a better financial position if we were to separate. 

swingaloo

stressedette said:

There is no way to put him on the mortgage. 

His payments cover his share of bills and something towards expenses for our two children - I’m aware of the issues around him paying towards the mortgage and gaining an interest. 

If we were to split, he would be obligated to pay me child maintenance to help with costs of our two children. It’s just a bit frustrating that I’d be in a better financial position if we were to separate. 

Not sure why you would be in a better position if you separate. You would lose his contribution towards the bills.  

Its seems to be your partner taking the risk here, paying you rent for a number of years and being dad to your 2 children yet he has no security.

stressedette

@swingaloo I'd lose his contribution toward the bills but gain the equivalent in child maintenance. Which would be considered income on a mortgage application, where his contribution towards bills at present isn't! 

ian1246

stressedette said:

There is no way to put him on the mortgage. 

His payments cover his share of bills and something towards expenses for our two children - I’m aware of the issues around him paying towards the mortgage and gaining an interest. 

If we were to split, he would be obligated to pay me child maintenance to help with costs of our two children. It’s just a bit frustrating that I’d be in a better financial position if we were to separate. 

Just to correct a huge assumption on your part with this - if you split up, your assuming the kids would live with you. Legally, he is just as entitled to have the kids living with him as you. It could even be you paying him in the event of a split, assuming he'd found somewhere suitable for them to live with him.

There is no default "mum automatically gets the kids" law in the UK. Granted, in the majority of the time it is mum who has the kids due to an agreement between mum/dad, but if Dad decides that actually he wants to continue to play an equal part in his kids lives or for whatever reason pushes to be the main carer, you have absolutely no guarantee at all that the kids will be with you. It could end up with you obligated to pay him....

.... or you could share them equally, at which point there would be no CMS payments. It is worth mentioning "equal" means not just "sleeps", but also day to day care (drop off's/pick-up's, doctors appointments, sick-days off etc....).

I've always struggled to understand why Dad's just accept "having to pay CMS" when actually, if they get a grip and step up to the plate in being equally responsible for their kids (rather than putting it all on Mum), they would be an active huge part in their kids lives AND no obligation or legal requirement to pay CMS. Their kids would be so much better for it as well (assuming both parents are decent human beings)

There's also an increasing awareness amongst public agencies (NHS, Education, Social Services) that one parent denying the other access to the kids for no-reason is both child cruelty, so the old "I m not letting him have the kids" trick many abusive ex-partners play to guarantee CMS payments could and is starting to backfire spectacularly - the sooner the better.

This is assuming he's named on the birth certificate. If he's not, he would have no claim on the kids but likewise absolutely zero obligation to make CMS payments....