ex-partner won't pay back rent...

White Noise · 03-07-2012, 05:31 PM

Hi everyone, its a while since I've posted in RYL, but the only other place I can think of to get advice is over facebook, and I don't really want to be posting personal stuff on my page.

I've recently broken up with my partner. We've been living together since autumn 2010, at first he was just moving into my flat because his mum kicked him out, and I let him stay in my room rent free until we moved out to get our own place. Since then I've covered most of our living costs, with my savings from before uni going into a deposit for the first flat, and for the house we're living in now. I've also paid up for his rent on several occasions; before this happened I had over £3000 in savings, and now I literally have nothing. We're both living on benefits, and have been messed about by the council in getting the money, but whenever he's received his housing benefit, he's not paid me back the money he owed me on rent. I've also ended up covering the utility bills, and not had any money back.

Now that we've broken up he's moving out, and it looks like I'm never going to get the money back, and unless I can find someone to take over his share of the rent I'm going to be left with no place to live, and no money to place a deposit on a flat. Obviously, I'm going to be looking for someone to take over his share of the house, but does anyone have any idea how I can get my money back? Its getting to the stage where I'm considering legal action, but for the past year I've been paying the rent by taking the cash out of my account and manually depositing it in the landlord's account, so I'm not sure I have sufficient evidence to show that money was spent on rent.

I'm not sure if anyone else here has been in this position, but I was wondering if anyone had any idea what I could do?

White Noise · 03-07-2012, 05:47 PM

A few other things- I can't move back in with my parents, I'm stuck in my local area due to NHS treatment. If I move, I loose my PCT funding and would have to start again, this is not an option.

I think that I can cover at least a month's worth of rent on the house so this give me time to find someone to take the other room, the problem is that everyone I knew in this city is either still a student, so probably wouldn't want to move to where I live, or they've graduated and left, so I'm not sure how I'm going to find that person. It would be possible to live by myself if I had the money to put a deposit down, or if I applied for council housing (I need to look into this), but I'm not sure if living by myself would be safe right now...

Things have also gotten beyond the stage of appealing to his sense of reason, earlier this week he ripped my housing benefit check in half during an argument, and today I found out that he's planning on trading my bike (he paid £10 for it, I never paid him the £10 back, but I don't see why I should considering how much money I've spent on him) for another one for himself, and won't be replacing the bike... I need that bike to get to the job centre, and without it I'm pretty ****ed. I'm thinking of taking back his Christmas present from last year (I spent £170 on it, but I know that I could sell it for around £500), but if I do that then there'll be a massive ****ing argument.

Aardbei · 12-07-2012, 10:56 PM

Hi Kai,

I'm sorry you and your partner broke up. I hope you're holding up okay.

I'm afraid I don't really know much about the subject, but it definitely doesn't sound fun. Would your parents be able to lend you some money while you work out a plan of action in the meantime? Could you borrow some from the bank? I know it's not ideal, but it might give you a bit of breathing space.

I don't know if there is somewhere like connexions you could go - I have a feeling the age limit may be 18, but I'm sure there's another organisation that would be able to offer some sort of free advice. Would the university be able to offer any sort of help? I'm not sure if you still have any connections there but it may be an avenue you can try.

I'm sorry I can't be of any more help, and I really hope things get better for you x