Hi, I''m new to the site and am hoping for some advice on where I stand legally.
My partner and I have been together for 7 years, and purchased a house together 5 years ago. We are not married and have no children.
Before buying the house we signed a Declaration of Trust, stating he was putting in more money than I was. I don''t have a problem with this, other than the fact that the house now has less equity in it as we used some of it to purchase other items. My argument is that we will split the equity in the house in accordance with the agreement, but all other items should be split 50/50. He says he will force me to sell the house unless I give him the money he put in.
I would also like to point out that he has paid nothing towards the house or bills for the last three years, and everything has been paid out of my salary. I have also said to him, that if he insists on selling the house he must pay half the bills until it''s sold, or I will keep a track of it and knock it off his money at the end.
It is his infidelity that has caused the split, and I am trying to be reasonable with him. I also need to find out how I legally tell him we are financial separated, as he is continuing to spend my money as it is held in a joint account as part of our mortgage, and therefore I cannot remove him from the account until the house is sorted.
Any advice you can give me would be much appreciated. All the information I seem to find relates to married couples rather than cohabiting couples.
Many thanks.