Mine and ex partners joint account in debt.

Squishtastic

Hello!
Me and my partner broke up 6 months ago and he moved out of our joint mortgaged house.
Since then the joint bank account we have with Lloyds has gone into 2k of debt. Around £350 of this is charges as there was not enough money in there for my bills as I have been struggling alone. He refuses to pay anything for the joint mortgage (Which I kind of understand) and accepts no part of the debt. He expects me to just pay off the 2k when I dont even have enough money for my electric bill!!
What should I do? I want him to have to pay half of this debt as it is a joint account but he refuses.

Thank you for all help

camuk81

Right,

First things first. This account keeps getting charges. These charges keep taking money leaving less money for bills.

My recommendation would be move the bills so there is less chance of going over.

Speak to the bank and explain what is happening and see if they will let you extend the overdraft and then start putting money in to repay the debt.

The more charges you get the bigger the risk of the mortgage not being paid and then you getting into trouble with creditiors

sugarplum10

unfortunately you are jointly responsable for this debt and if the bank cant get half out of him they will chase you for it.
Joint resopnsability means that you can both be taken to court jointly for the full amount so even if you paid half you would both be chased for the remaining £1000.
I strongly suggest that you go into the bank and ask them to freeze the account until you can come to an arrangement with your ex as they will continue to add charges and allow him to attempt to take money if you dont.
Go into the bank personally and se one of their advisers and just explain the situation. The can and will on request have the account stopped but will add any charges that are pending to go onto the account unless you ask to have these stopped.
Im not sure how you can go about the legalities of this situaltion
this is advice i am givuing you from personal experience.
hope you sort things out soon.
sugarplum

Squishtastic

Thank you for the responces! The account is already frozen and bills have been moved to my seperate account with Santander, but the Lloyds account is getting charged £5 every day it is overdrawn! Would I be able to force ex partner to pay half? God, I'm so confused!! I hate all this debt stuff!

sugarplum10

Squishtastic wrote: »

Thank you for the responces! The account is already frozen and bills have been moved to my seperate account with Santander, but the Lloyds account is getting charged £5 every day it is overdrawn! Would I be able to force ex partner to pay half? God, I'm so confused!! I hate all this debt stuff!

no you cant.
it is a joint account so you are jointly responsable. ie. you are both legally liable for the debt. ie if one of you refuses to pay the debt or half of the debt, the banmk will persue you both for the debt or the half remaining.
By all means pay your half and ask him to pay what is remaining, however the best thing you can do is arrange a payment plan with the bank to clear the debt off and clear the account!

timbstoke

I don't see any value in paying half and asking him to pay the remainder - if he doesn't, you're no better off. Realistically, the only way you'd get half would be to take him to court for the amount, in which case you'd have to show how much of the outstanding amount is down to him. Even then, you'd have to have paid the full amount off before you'd have anything to claim from him, and no real guarantee of success.