Help! X Partner trying to claim my house.

Hi,

Thank goodness I have found this great site, most informative I have found.

I'm hoping to get some advice on my situation and what I need to do to resolve it.

I split up with my ex approx 8 months ago.

We are not married & were together on & off for 6 years.

I own my own property which is solely mine. I paid the deposit. I pay the mortgage & am named on the land registry. I have always paid the bills and maintenance costs myself.

I also own a buy to let property which is mortgaged by me. I paid the deposit for this with my savings & also my Mother invested 15k of her savings in it.

My ex partner is trying to get a share of both houses. I've had correspondence from a solicitor requesting I attend mediation, also stating that they will be making an application to register an interest on the Land Registry. This has now been confirmed as I have received an email alert from them. I am awaiting written notification so I can dispute this.

It was always made clear by me that the houses were mine & he didn't have any interest in them. I always made it clear our finances were separate.

He was never on the electoral register or had any correspondence registered here.

My partner used to pay £500 p/m for living expenses which he will be able to prove via his bank statements.

From the info I can find is it right that he can claim a beneficial interest in my houses?

I have the house I am living in up for sale & i'm now worried he will stop the sale by registering his interest, can he do this?

I find it unbelievable that anyone can register an interest in someones property by just requesting it.

I don't want to attend mediation as I feel he has no claim on my houses & my mental health would not be able to cope.

The last time I saw him he beat me up quite badly which I unfortunately did not report to the police.

I am now being treated by a Psychiatrist for mental health problems which have been partly caused by the mental abuse he inflicted on me during our relationship.

Can anyone give me any advice what I should do next. I dont have the money or the mental strength to defend myself with an expensive court battle.

Any advice would be welcome I really dont know where to turn or what I need to do.

Thanks for reading.

Hello,
Your situation sounds awful. I'm not surprised that you are feeling so stressed.

Did you enter into any sort of written/formal agreement which specified how the property/assets would be split?

With regards to the £500 pcm he paid. Was this transferred from his account to yours or did he pay some of the household bills from his own account. I guess in order to demonstrate he has a beneficial interest he would need to be able to show that the £500 pcm he paid was either used towards the mortgage repayments or home improvements and not just groceries and the phone bill type of stuff. If you can prove that your own money was used for the mortgages and any capital expenditure it will help. Do you know what type of restriction/notice they are applying for with the land registry?

As for mediation, it does not form a part of any court proceedings so if it is just a request you could decline.

Thank You for your quick response.

No there is no written or formal agreement.

The £500 was transferred from his account to mine every month. I have always paid the mortgage & all the bills.

Im not 100% what restriction has been lodged at land registry as they have not formally informed me yet, but from what ive read it will a Unilateral Notice which I can dispute.

I thought getting rid of him would end this nightmare but obviously not, he is trying to intimidate me into paying him off. He was homeless and jobless when we met, I allowed him to stay with me rent free for 2 years until he got himself a job etc and feel he is now fleecing me for what he can.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/relationships/...rtner-owns-the-home/
Reading the above link might help.

Thank You for that.

It looks like he has no claim based on the above which is what I suspected.

Any idea if the land registry will allow him to place the restriction on my title after I have disputed it? I will take the house off the market & rent it out if I have too as I cannot stay here anymore.

I'm not sure to be honest.
Here is some further reading which might clarify...
www.gov.uk/government/publications/notic...ests-in-the-register

It's a bit technical and heavy reading I'm afraid:S

Your ex sounds like a blood sucking leech!

Thats exactly what he is.
He was from the start but I couldn't see it.

You live & Learn.