My cheating ex promised me the house – how can I ensure he holds true?

DEAR DEIDRE: MY ex has turned into a complete stranger and I don’t believe his promises to sign our flat over to me.

We were planning to get married before he had an affair and announced he was leaving me for his other woman. 

I’m 42 and he’s 44. We were together for five years. 

A month ago, after acting strangely for a while, he suddenly announced that he didn’t love me anymore. 

I was in bits and begged him for the truth. Finally he admitted he’d hooked up with an old friend and had fallen in love with her.

I invested so much in our life together – emotionally and financially – and was blindsided. 

He moved out to go to hers, but he said he felt so guilty I could have our flat and all the furniture, and he’d make legal arrangements. 

Since then, he’s done nothing about it. He’s been unreliable and barely speaks to me. 

I don’t understand how he could turn into this person I don’t know at all, almost overnight. 

What should I do?

DEIDRE SAYS: Your ex should have told you he was unhappy. The way he’s gone about this has made it so much more painful for you.

But now you need to pick up the pieces of your life and move on. 

Tell him you need to meet to make formal arrangements about your flat and joint possessions. My support pack, Standing Up For Yourself should help.

Contact Citizens Advice (advice.org.uk) so  you know your rights.

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