Partner of 23 years just split, he owns the house we live in

osjdbeiek

My partner of 23 years just blindsided me by telling me he wants to break up.

we have been living together for about 20 years, first in a house share and then I bought a house in 2005 and we moved in there. In 2014 we moved to much larger house that he bought in his name to get first time buyers and that. I was renting out my house but I still had to top up as the rent didn’t cover the mortgage. So he convinced me to sell and stupidly I did, with him convincing me we’d get married some day so it wouldn’t matter. Now I don’t know what to do, I’m hitting 50 so getting a mortgage seems tricky even if I had a deposit. Any money I had I put in that house decorating and furnishing, I can’t believe I’m hitting 50 and looking at homelessness, any advice please

Former Former Former

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/birth-family-relationships/problems-in-marriages-and-other-relationships/property-rights-and-the-breakdown-of-a-cohabiting-relationship/

See above. You need to establish how much of the cost of the house you've contributed.

XsApollo

Well the first question is , do you want to anything from the break up?

For instance do you want to be reimbursed for the money you put in to the house? Does he agree to that?

if you want to be reimbursed and he doesn’t agree then you will need a solicitor.

even tho you are not married, you have rights, and you also might have a claim on some of the house.

Depending on the circumstances and being together 20+ years I don’t think you can be just left high and dry like that.

read the link below.

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/birth-family-relationships/cohabiting-couples/rights-of-cohabiting-couples/#:~:text=If%20you%20have%20been%20living,either%20through%20death%20or%20separation).

Princess Calla

Get a good solicitor that deals with family law/ division of assets.

After 23 years it's not as simple as "what's mine is mine".

Try to track down all receipts /credit card statements of all big tickets items you've funded for the house.

I presume you sold the house for a profit so I'd imagine where those funds went would be important i.e. Did you invest them into an investment fund/avc for yourself or did you add them to the communal pot and get a new extension built or something like that.......I'm not looking for answers just I'd imagine they'll look for ways to prove you were both either keeping your assets to yourself and separate or were sharing assets.

You may not be married but after 23 years you do share a lot of the protections marriage would bring.

Best of luck, break ups are far from easy especially when dealing with this type of stuff on top of it.

Peregrinus

After being together for more than 20 years your financial affairs are inevitably going to be very intertwined and disentangling them will be complicated. Your going to need professional advice and the sooner you get it the better.

But I agree with what others have said. Your financial contributions helped to pay for that house and they very likely do give you a claim on it. Your claim is not just for the return of the money you put into it, but for a share of the house itself, proportionate to your financial contribution.

YellowLead

Why would you be left homeless? Are you unemployed? If you are financially dependent on your partner then you can certainly apply to be compensated if you have lived in his house beyond 5 years with no kids or 3 if kids