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taking half the equity of my house even though we're not married?

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harper1808

Junior Member
Indiana My girlfriend and I have been together roughly 7 years. I tried breaking it off with her and she told me she consulted a lawyer and that I have to pay her 1/2 of the equity of my house because she's lived there so long (3 years) and has helped with the upkeep and has proof of what she paid. She also told me if I go through with it that she won't leave my house..... she'll never leave. And pretty much there's nothing I can do about it? How is that? We're not married so why do I owe her money for my house? I've always paid the mortgage out of my own money. She's paid utilities and did painting and other things but it's MY house....MY mortgage. Somebody please help..I don't know what to do it's a lot of money to come up with and she has the whole family pulling together to give her money for this lawyer.
 


Indiana Filer

Senior Member
Indiana My girlfriend and I have been together roughly 7 years. I tried breaking it off with her and she told me she consulted a lawyer and that I have to pay her 1/2 of the equity of my house because she's lived there so long (3 years) and has helped with the upkeep and has proof of what she paid. She also told me if I go through with it that she won't leave my house..... she'll never leave. And pretty much there's nothing I can do about it? How is that? We're not married so why do I owe her money for my house? I've always paid the mortgage out of my own money. She's paid utilities and did painting and other things but it's MY house....MY mortgage. Somebody please help..I don't know what to do it's a lot of money to come up with and she has the whole family pulling together to give her money for this lawyer.
Is her name on the deed? (Not the mortgage, the deed.) Unless she lives in a different Indiana than the one I live in, I think she's playing you. Get a free consultation with a lawyer just to verify, but I think you can pretty much tell her to pound sand. You will need to file for eviction since she's lived there long enough to establish residence, but that gives her no ownership unless her name is already on the deed.
 

harper1808

Junior Member
No her name is not on the deed but I heard the lawyer on the phone with her telling her everything she could get from me. It just doesn't make sense to me. We have 2 kids together does this have anything to do with it?
 
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sandyclaus

Senior Member
Indiana My girlfriend and I have been together roughly 7 years. I tried breaking it off with her and she told me she consulted a lawyer and that I have to pay her 1/2 of the equity of my house because she's lived there so long (3 years) and has helped with the upkeep and has proof of what she paid. She also told me if I go through with it that she won't leave my house..... she'll never leave. And pretty much there's nothing I can do about it? How is that? We're not married so why do I owe her money for my house? I've always paid the mortgage out of my own money. She's paid utilities and did painting and other things but it's MY house....MY mortgage. Somebody please help..I don't know what to do it's a lot of money to come up with and she has the whole family pulling together to give her money for this lawyer.
If she's not listed on the deed, not named on the mortgage, and you have nothing in writing between you that says she is entitled to 1/2 of your property, she's not going to get it.

Sure, you shared household expenses. She may have even paid a larger share sometimes, but that's because YOU were paying the mortgage. She did what any roommate or tenant might do, and if you made no specific agreement with her to give her an ownership or equity interest in the property, it doesn't exist - no matter what she or her attorney might claim. ("If it ain't in writing, it never happened.")

It might be different if you were considered common-law spouses, but that does not exist in Indiana.

Tell her she's welcome to do her worst, but she isn't going to get what she's looking for. She's probably hoping that you will be scared enough with the empty threats of her attorney to give in to her demands.

Evict her through proper legal channels and be done with it.
 

TinkerBelleLuvr

Senior Member
If those two children living there are yours, you'll be needing to file for parenting time/ child support IF you've already been adjudicated dad. If not, also establish paternity.

As for 1/2 the house, in her dreams. And it could have been ANYONE on the phone - she's playing you.
 

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