Regardless of the state of your relationship, you need to protect yourself and your investment. Right now, you aren't married. Period. So, if you want this house to be a reflection of your investment and efforts you need to take the appropriate steps to make sure that it can't be taken away from you. This would be different if you were legally married, because then each partner has established rights and the courts would be there to sort things out based on legal duties/rights/responsibilities. Courts aren't generally there to sort out boyfriend/girlfriend financial issues. Just watch Judge Judy!!! You'll see the difficulties that arise from committed but unmarried partners that separate. It becomes a nightmare.
Do the right thing, protect yourself, and get your boyfriend to pay rent/utilities. Have a lease in place and establish in writing his financial committments as a tenant. If afterwards you choose not to collect rent and things go belly up in a year, you won't be successful in sueing him for rent. But you WILL have protected your financial investment in the roof over your head as you will have established a landlord/tenant relationship and not a quasi-partner-part owner relationship which makes things messy. Make it formal for your peace of mind. Who knows what will happen down the road? If he "doesn't understand" or squawks about your need for peace of mind, red flags should go up right away...ONE warning sign that I see is that you say that he will "probably" help out with utilities and stuff. Why the heck would you let what I presume is an able-bodied employed man live off of you??? I don't get it. It costs to live. He needs to chip in. It seems that you haven't sorted this out yet!!!! See a lawyer and protect yourself. Please!!!
Last edited by freiamaya; 08-23-2007 at 11:20 PM.
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