Separation-risk if being homeless

Australia's #1 for Law
Join 150,000 Australians every month. Ask a question, respond to a question and better understand the law today!
FREE - Join Now

Lavender

Member
20 September 2019
1
0
1
I have been engaged to my partner since December 2018. I had full time employment, was self sufficient and was able to pay my bills without any concerns. In March 2019 my partner suggested that he wanted to go back to the mines as he had worked there before and got a higher pay. We agreed that him and his 14yo son would move in with me into my rental property and I added them onto my lease. We then agreed that I was to quit my full time employment and go into full time studying whilst I was to take care of his son whilst he was on the mines. As soon as he started working on the mines he had his salary paid into my bank account so that I can take care of the bills and his son. We then opened a joint account where both of us could have access to the finances and so that I can manage all our bills together and payments for him. There was never an issue with this.

A week ago he decided that he does not want to be in the relationship anymore and suddenly just left with his son. He took his son a week early out of school and took him to a friend’s place, 7hours away from where we live. He left him there whilst he had to go back to work, interstate. He has now changed his bank account details to have his salary paid into a different account and notified the rental agency that he is no longer living here and will no longer pay for the rent. I received an email from the rental agency yesterday stating that I have to provide pay slips to prove I can pay the rent or otherwise I’ll have to vacate the property. On top of that I have credit card debt that is in my name that was made whilst we were together and I also have my car loan to pay that I never missed a payment before. He refuse to help me out until I can get myself a job and get back on my feet. I will not be able to get approved for any rental property without three months payslips. I have applied for Centrelink but that will take ages to be processed and even if I get approved, it will not be enough to pay my debts and live as well.

I basically gave up my independence and security to take care of his son and study for a better future for us together. Now I am left with the prospects of being homeless and losing my car plus having debt collectors on my neck and I have no idea what to do.

Do I have any rights here to say the he at least has to support me until I can get a job as he broke the agreement we had together, not me?
 

Scruff

Well-Known Member
25 July 2018
902
133
2,389
NSW
I'm no expert, but the immediate problem I see is that it appears you only lived together for around six months - which is way too short to qualify as a de-facto relationship. Without that, I'm not sure if there's anything you can do.

Centrelink shouldn't take too long to process an application, but it does usually take at least two weeks before you receive any payment. If you haven't done so already, you should talk to them about a "crisis payment" - with no income, you might qualify.