🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur.
A man has been urged to sue his ex-wife and make her homeless in the run-up to Christmas.
In a viral Reddit post, user RunLive1056 explained he divorced his ex-wife 15 years ago and they share custody of their daughter, now 18. He said he "fought hard" for the house he inherited but as he had put his ex's name on the deeds, there was a high chance she could win it.
As a compromise, she was allowed to stay in the house rent-free until their child turned 18 on one condition: the woman could not do anything to the property without his written permission. Recently, the Redditor discovered his four-bedroom property had been turned into a three-bedroomer.
Redditors have backed RunLive1056, who wants his ex out of the house and is threatening to sue her. But Sabrina Shaheen Cronin, a family law attorney, told Newsweek he should try and settle the matter out of court.

She said: "The man has a right to enforce the court's order and have the woman vacate the home. He is also entitled to seek damages. An expert may be necessary to determine a fair dollar value of damages, including loss of value, repair costs, and so on. Although it may seem harsh to their child, the woman is the one who has seemingly violated the court's order."
However, to save "money, time and his relationship with his daughter," the founder of The Cronin Law Firm in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, suggested he negotiates himself or with the help of an attorney.
"Their willingness to compromise will determine whether an out-of-court settlement will be successful. Another provision that should be included in divorce judgments speaks to future issues and whether they should be mediated or arbitrated. It's difficult to predict every contingency, but you should plan for the possibility of future issues unfolding," told Cronin.
Explaining the recent incident, the Redditor said he has been sending letters for months to ensure she is packed up and ready to go so he can move back in.

Recently, he went to the property with a contractor as he wants to revamp the house. He wrote: "At first she refused to let me in until I reminded her that I'm the legal owner of the house, according to our divorced agreement signed by the judge, she's no longer allowed to be there, and I'll call the police if she doesn't let me in. She got the point and opened the door.
"I was surprised nothing was packed and it didn't seem like she's moving at all. We were arguing as I walked through and inspected my house. She wanted extra time and I told her to be out by the end of the week or I'll have her stuff thrown out. When I walked into the living room, I was shocked into silence. The living room was expanded by a wall being torn down and having the bedroom that was once there merged into it."
The Redditor said the agreement stated any work must be carried out by a professional with his approval.
"I know I didn't sign off on this and from the looks of it, the work was probably done by her BF [boyfriend] and not a professional. I yelled at her and told her I'm going to sue her for everything she has then I left."
The OP concluded the story by stating the ex-wife cried to their daughter, who has sided with her mom.
Cronin told Newsweek: "If the parties had a better co-parenting relationship earlier on, this most likely wouldn't have occurred. Now, the daughter feels in the middle once again, unfortunately."
Over 2,190 people have commented on the post since it was submitted on December 17. In total, the Redditor has received 13,200 upvotes and the top comment has received 23,000.
That comment said: "NTA [not the a******]. The rules for this arrangement COULD NOT BE MORE CLEAR."
"She has had 15 years to find alternative accommodation, you even sent her reminders, AND she violated the agreement by having unauthorized work done? Yeah hell no, kick her out. NTA," commented another person.
Another person agreed: "NTA, OP. You should talk to your daughter and explain your side of things, especially if your ex has been filling her head with lies or has been putting her against you ('cause why would she hide or not mention the renovations otherwise?) Maybe wait until after the holidays, but definitely sue her and kick her out."
Newsweek reached out to u/RunLive1056 for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.
Have you had a Christmas dilemma? Let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice on relationships, family, friends, money, and work, and your story could be featured on Newsweek's "What Should I Do? section.
About the writer
Lucy Notarantonio is Newsweek's Senior Lifestyle and Trends Reporter, based in Birmingham, UK. Her focus is trending stories and human ... Read more