need help/advice urgently - cohabitees

[w3lsh_princ3ss]

Ok i'm going to explain this situation as briefly as i can...

My mum and her boyfriend have been living together for roughly the past 4 or 5 years (i live with them too), in HIS house which he pays a mortgage for. She has not contributed to the mortgage as she pays for a joint mortgage that she has with my older brother for a 1 bedroomed house which he lives in, as he couldn't afford it on his own. However she has contributed to things like bills and food.

A couple of days ago my Mum and her boyfriend split up. She told him we will move out as soon as she found us somewhere else to live. So she and I have been looking on various websites and made a couple of bookings to see flats we could rent together. Then yesterday (Wednesday) he said to her that he wants us out by this friday (tomorrow)!! Which as you can imagine is pretty impossible as we have no relatives where we live and my brothers house is verrry small and only has 1 bedroom.

I would just like to know whether she has any rights to stay in the house until we have found somwhere else to live, as she has lived there for so long already? I have looked at the section on the site about cohabitees and the law but it hasnt helped, as i know this can be a hazy topic which can vary a lot according to circumstances.

Can anybody shed any light on this issue please? or has anyone been in a smiliar situation? Any help is VERY much appreciated as i really dont know what we can do :(

[**Helen**]

Hi - I'm really sorry to hear about this - it sounds like a really upsetting and stressful situation.

I'm unable to say whether or not you and you mum have any rights to stay in the house. However, what I would urge is for you to do is to see professional help as soon as you can. One of the main organisations who can give you advice and support in this situation is Shelter (http://www.thesite.org.uk/homelawandmoney/home/homelessness/shelter). There is a specific page on their website about getting help and advice immediately (http://england.shelter.org.uk/advice/advice-136.cfm) and also one for emergency housing (http://england.shelter.org.uk/advice/advice-100.cfm) if you and your mum find that you don't have friends/relatives to stay with in the short time or you are unable to resolve any issues before Friday.

You can also contact the citizens advice bureau (http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/index/getadvice.htm) for advice.

I hope this information is helpful and everything works out for the best for you and your mum.
Take care and Best wishes ;)

[Pearly]

Hi,

I'm really sorry to hear about your situation - it does sound quite tricky as your mum's boyfriend owns the house so he will have more rights. However, as your mum is not married and they don't have children, apparently it may still be possible for her to claim a beneficial interest in the property.

I hope you both manage to sort something out,
All the best