Q: Am I responsible for paying utilities for a house that I do not live in, but I own by deed?
Hello, my ex-fiancé and I own a home together in Alabama. His name is on the mortgage of the home, and both his name and my name are on the deed. He is pressuring me to sign over my rights to the house to him. He is claiming that, although I no longer live with him in the home, I am still responsible for paying half of the utilities. Is that correct? I have purchased, jointly with him, thousands of dollars worth of appliances, flooring, and other improvements for the home. Therefore, it is in my best interest to keep my name on the deed. Thank you.
A:
There is no legal obligation to pay half the utilities just because your name is on the deed. You need to take all the papers to a competent real estate lawyer and have him or her explain to you all the ramifications of the deed and the mortgage. It may be in your best interest to negotiate a buyout with your ex-fiance' under the terms of which one of you would purchase the other's interest in the property. Going further, any joint owner of real property can force a sale of the property in what is called an action for partition, but that can be a tricky and perhaps treacherous undertaking. A good real estate lawyer or domestic relations lawyer can advise you as to the best path. I assume that you do not want to continue jointly owning property with your ex-fiance'. Most people wouldn't.
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