Is my ex-partner entitled to savings invested in the home they purchased?

Questioner

My ex and I have a registered partnership but are separated. We own a house together, but are now busy dividing everything. We are only running into 1 point. My ex invested x amount of savings in the house to renovate. And he wants this full amount back now. I think he is not entitled to this. We got the key to the house in September 2020. And signed for the registered partnership in February 2021. At the time of signing, this money was invested in our house and no longer directly in his possession. So my question is. Do I have to pay him that money back? Or is he not entitled to it? Nothing else has been recorded outside of the registered partnership. Thanks in advance

Lawyer

It sounds from your description as if you are in a situation where your registered partner invested in a house that you both own, and now that the partnership has broken up, you are wondering how that investment is treated. Generally, these issues are complex and vary greatly based on the specific circumstances and conditions that were present in the registered partnership. First of all, it depends on whether your registered partnership was entered into with or without partnership conditions. If there were no partnership conditions, then your situation is legally considered to be a community of property. In such a situation, all assets and debts that were built up during the partnership are divided equally, regardless of who contributed to what. This means that any potential increase in the value of the house through a renovation is considered to be something that was built up during the partnership, and should therefore be divided equally between the two of you. However, if you chose to enter into specific partnership terms that made arrangements for individual investments, it may be a different case. In that situation, your partner may have a right to compensation against the investment value. This means that your ex-partner may be entitled to claim compensation from you for the investment they made in the house. The specific details of your partnership terms would carry considerable weight in such a case and it would be advisable to seek professional legal advice to understand what claims they may be able to make. In some cases, you may also have agreed that the person investing money in the home can claim a right to compensation when the home is sold. This may be based on the value of the home at the time the investment was made, or the value of the home at the time of sale. Whatever your situation, it is advisable to seek professional legal advice to fully understand your rights and obligations in this situation. It is possible that a mediator can help to find a fair and balanced solution for both parties.