Not paying the mortgage, can I change the locks?

[r4zorb4ck]

Myself and my Partner have just split. She has left the home and gone to her mothers. She states that she is not paying anything towards a house she is not living in, as I want to try to keep the house on myself. But still demands to keep a key to the house.

She is on the mortgage so half the house is in theory hers.

What I want to know is if she refuses to pay anything towards mortgage/bills etc can I change the locks?

Thanks in advance

[jedimistress]

No.

[Pippa68]

My husband changed the locks on the flat he once shared with his ex wife. He wasn't going to do it, but she kept coming round while he was at work & eating his food, drinking his booze & generally using it as a doss-house.

When she found out he had changed the locks she created merry hell as 'my name is on the mortgage' he explained that if she had any interest in it then she should help out with the mortgage or move back in permanently. Luckily she backed off, but he contacted the building society who told him that he was within his rights to change the locks if he feared the property was open to abuse from parties unknown.

As she was inviting all & sundry round for midday parties he did just that.

I suggest contacting your lender to explain the situation.

[themas]

I assume your ex is a joint owner of the house, as well as being on the mortgage. If so, then she is entitled to live there and to come and go freely, and could create problems if you change the locks. Legally, to prevent this you would have to get a Court order to exclude her.

What Pippa says seems like a fairly unusual case, and I suggest you would have to have some evidence of mis-use to succeed in using that approach.

mdoo gives a practical solution, but there could still be problems if your ex demanded one of the new keys and you refused.

[Pippa68]

Yes themas my husband did have evidence to support his claim. Luckily the lender was very sympathetic. I would still suggest that something be done in this case.

I know that legally they are both on the mortgage papers, but they are not together. Who would be around to protect his property if he were not there? at the end of the day he is not denying access to his ex partner..she is obviously quite free to come round if need be whilst her ex partner was there. It is common courtesy.

My guess is that she is hanging on to the keys just to create trouble...power is a lovely thing. I wonder how she would feel if the tables were turned? she probably would have changed the locks already!

Threaten her with court action...