Man Wants Ex to Split Home Improvement Expenses

Two exes who have continued living together after their very recent breakup are at odds about expenses for past home improvements.

The ex-girlfriend, who is moving out soon, explained on the community forum Mumsnet that her ex-boyfriend expects her to pay for half of the enhancements they had completed before their breakup.

The woman admitted that she’s “been through hell” this year, having moved in with him in March after they signed a lease together, followed by deciding to terminate a pregnancy and breaking up with him. 

“Very emotional and awful time right now,” she wrote.

When they moved in, she explained, he paid to get new blinds fitted, installed new floors and bought new kitchen appliances.

“We agreed I would pay him back my half,” she recalled. “Fast-forward and our relationship had just gradually gotten worse and broken down.”

“We had a row the other week as I told him I do not want to be in this relationship anymore and how do we go about the split for the associated costs. He still expects half … I haven’t paid anything yet,” she continued.

She added that her ex-boyfriend doesn’t want to move out. 

“He has said if I’m unhappy then I should move, which I agree with,” she recounted. “But I’ve said I’m not paying half for things he is keeping if he is staying in the house. I can’t take half a fridge freezer or blinds!”

After searching for months for a new place to live, the woman has found a place to rent. This has not gone over well with him.

“It’s erupted into a row about how I’m trying to worm my way out of paying him back and putting him in financial hardship because he wouldn’t have paid for those things if he knew I wasn’t going to pay half,” she said.

Wondering if she’s in the wrong, the woman asked the forum if she’s being unreasonable for not paying for anything when she moves.

Many Mumsnet users agreed that she shouldn’t give him a penny, with one commenting, “Of course you shouldn’t be contributing to the cost of appliances and fixtures that you won’t be using!”

Meanwhile, another person chimed in with, “Just to play devil’s advocate: If you had paid half at the time would you be asking for that money back? Probably not I guess? Can you afford to give him a small amount to keep the peace if that’s what you’re looking to do?”