Man Wants Ex-Girlfriend to Split Expenses for Home Improvements Before She Moves Out While He Stays

Two exes who have continued living together after a recent breakup are clashing over expenses for home improvements made before their split.

The ex-girlfriend, who plans to move out soon, shared on the community forum Mumsnet that her ex-boyfriend expects her to cover half of the costs for upgrades they had completed together.

She admitted that this year has been incredibly challenging, having moved in with him in March after signing a lease, then facing the difficult decision to terminate a pregnancy, and ultimately ending the relationship.

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

When they moved in, she explained, he had paid for new blinds, installed new flooring, and purchased kitchen appliances.

“We agreed I would pay him back my half,” she recalled. “Fast-forward, and our relationship gradually worsened and eventually broke down.”

She continued: “We had a row the other week when I told him I do not want to be in this relationship anymore and asked how we should handle splitting the associated costs. He still expects half … I haven’t paid anything yet.”

She added that her ex-boyfriend is reluctant 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 stays in the house. I can’t take half a fridge freezer or blinds!”

After months of searching, she has now found a new rental, which has led to further disputes.

“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.

Uncertain if she’s in the wrong, she asked the forum whether she should contribute at all when she moves out.

Many Mumsnet users supported her decision not to pay, with one commenting, “Of course you shouldn’t be contributing to the cost of appliances and fixtures that you won’t be using!”

Another added, “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?”