My ex-girlfriend and I bought a house together, but she has now left and expects me to pay the whole of the mortgage.

I can't afford it. What can I do if I want to keep the house and not have to sell it? It doesn't matter if she is living there or not, she is a co-obligant and you are both bound jointly and severally to pay.

The mortgage lender won't care who pays and could sue either of you for any shortfall (or, more likely, seek to evict once arrears hit a certain level).

You can sue her for her half-share of the instalments now, and/or when the house is eventually sold, her share of proceeds will be docked any arrears. We agreed over fence

My neighbour and I agreed to erect a new fence as our old one was decrepit.

We shared the cost and did the work between us, but it now seems we laid it on the wrong line, and into next door's property by about a foot.

This makes my garden bigger, and he wants to move the fence. But surely as we both agreed the line, this is binding? Afraid not. the line is registered within both sets of deeds at the Land Register of Scotland and can only be changed by a new deed signed by both parties.

But even though the new line was agreed, you would find it difficult to argue that the chap next door had any intention to move the boundary. You just both made a mistake that can be remedied. Landlord ignores rising damp

I LIVE in a flat which is damp. We have complained to the landlords but they keep ignoring our letters. The housing manager just says we should keep the windows open and use the heating more. Your landlords have a duty to ensure the property is habitable and fit for you to live in.

If the flat is not healthy, you should get a housing or environmental health consultant in and have a written report done on the state of the premises.

If the landlords won't carry out repairs - and if necessary re-house you in the meantime - you can take them to court.

Legal aid is available if you can find a solicitor who provides it. My fears over father's will

MY father died and had made a home-made will. It was not even one of these ones you buy in a shop, but handwritten on jotter paper. It says who is to get what but does not say who is to be executor. As long as it is signed and clear in its terms it is legal. Lack of executor is not a problem - any of the beneficiaries can apply to court to be appointed executor. DO YOU HAVE A LEGAL PROBLEM? Write to Austin at Evening Times Features, 200 Renfield Street, Glasgow G2 3QB or e-mail him at: features@eveningtimes.co.uk