"Our son is 6, so he's not the most reliable narrator. After a recent weekend, he said, "Daddy fell through the floor!" I asked Theo about it, and he said, "Kids exaggerate, I was working on the flooring, and he was worried I would fall in." But I don't know if I believe him, and the house has always been a flashpoint between us."
"As of five years ago, it needed: a new roof, a new boiler, repairs to foundation cracks, drainage for a wet basement/mold issues, rewiring in the upstairs, replacement of the subflooring ,and possibly joists in a load bearing wall from long-term plumbing leaks. Property taxes went up unexpectedly, and it was a nightmare. Theo had his heart set on keeping it in the divorce, so I got a lot of our liquid assets, and he got the house."
A co-parent expresses concern that the other parent's house is unsafe and inaccessible for inspection. The six-year-old child reported that 'Daddy fell through the floor' and mentioned 'rain indoors,' prompting suspicion. The house was purchased as a fixer-upper and previously required extensive repairs: roof, boiler, foundation, drainage, rewiring, subfloor and joists. An inspector understated the needed work. The father took the house in divorce and has been doing DIY repairs, obtaining a certificate of occupancy and hosting weekend visits. The co-parent wonders how to verify hazards and protect the child's safety without access to the home.
Read at Slate Magazine
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