Where do you stand when your partner refuses to pay their share of the mortgage following a separation? Our mortgage expert Jeni Browne of Mortgages for Business offers advice to a reader who wrote to us with about her concerns
The question…
I bought a house with my husband three years ago but we have recently separated. He has moved out of the home and has just told me he will refuse to pay his share of the mortgage.
We both pay our share via our own bank accounts, so I guess the mortgage lender won’t just allow him to cancel this. But, I know he has money problems and therefore there is a danger he could default.
I would most certainly struggle to make the payments by myself. I hope we can sell the property and split the proceeds but obviously we still need to pay the mortgage until the sale is completed. What can I do?
Jeni says…
I am so sorry to hear this – at what must be a very stressful time for you, this must be incredibly difficult.
My advice to you is to pick up the phone and speak to your lender and see how they can help you. Mortgage lenders are required to treat you fairly and, in my experience, having an open dialogue with them when you are experiencing difficulties will mean that they are able to help and work with you.
It may be that they can work out a way to bring the payments down (for example putting the mortgage onto interest-only for a period of time) which will help to ease the pressure.
Please do not hold off doing this. I would also suggest you try and obtain some legal advice to understand your husband’s obligations and how they can be enforced. I wish you luck.
To see more of this month’s readers’ mortgage questions and Jeni’s responses, click here.
Jeni Browne is sales director at Mortgages for Business. If you have a question you would like Jeni to answer email kate.saines@emap.com
