How long before I can froget about this??

Nicki

Where bills are in joint names, I'm afraid that as far as the creditor is concerned you are jointly and severally liable for them. That means they can go after either one of you for the whole amount. It will matter not a jot to the electricity company etc that you have paid half the bill to them direct. If the other half is outstanding, they can still come after you for it, and will do so if you look like a better bet for the money than your ex.

Practically speaking, you need to contact everyone with whom you had contracts in joint names and terminate them. If you aren't living in the house any more this may mean that the service gets cut off (oh dear, poor ex!) This will stop you being liable for future debts. As far as the past debts are concerned, you will need to ascertain what these are, and come to some kind of agreement with your ex as to how these are to be paid. I appreciate this is difficult but you must try. Otherwise, if you are contacted by the creditors for payment, you should tell them that you have no money (and if you can demonstrate this to them) but that your ex, who is jointly liable is minted, in the hope they'll pursue her first for the debt!!

wifeforlife

Working in the recovery dept of what is a bit like council tax. I usually go after the first named regardless if it's male of female. Also if its joint names and you can prove you paid half, aslong as you supply a forwarding address and or telephone number for the ex I can then go solely after her.

I'm in NI so I'm not sure if things are different. I do realise you can be held solely responsible before anybody jumps on me for saying this

Cate

timberflake

Ok, I don't think your getting the full picture lol. I don't owe half of the joint debts, as I've said, when we parted company there was £360 in the bill account which should have been used on things such as electricity, council tax etc. Instead she used this money to clear her SOLE CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS i.e. BT & SKY which she was contracted to until the end of the year. I do not believe I was liable for these seeing as I've not lived there since end of April. For the record neither of us live at the property now.

So, by using the £360 to clear the BT and Sky she therefore feels that by paying half of the Powergen & Council Tax she in the clear, but it can't be that way! Had she used the £360 towards the joint debts, my share would be £100, however, as she didn't my share is now £300.

Unless someone can tell me that she was quite within her rights to use that money (which I paid into the account) to clear the Sky & BT contracts that we soley in her name I'm digging my heels in!

Nicki

But as far as the creditors are concerned if the bill is in joint names you DO owe the money to them (the whole of it, not just half) and they are not going to be interested in whether you gave the money to your ex.

Also if the money was in a joint account, then it belonged to both of you, and legally there was nothing to stop her from withdrawing it and doing what she liked with it, unless you had a clear agreement on this, which would need to have been a written agreement to do you any good at this stage.

You are liable to be pursued for these debts and you have no come-back against your ex for what she has done, so whatever the moral rights and wrongs you need to protect your postion for the future, and come to some kind of plan as to what to do in relation to the existing debts. Although you don't live at the property any more, you still need to check all joint contracts (eg insurance) have been cancelled.

Sorry, don't mean to sound unsympathetic, but your last post sounds as though you don't understand the position you are in, and the sooner you do, the easier it will be to resolve all this.

Thunderbird_2

Hi

The BT line and Sky thing, despite the fact they are on her name, were for you both to use, when you were living together, weren't they? Unless you weren't using them at all ( whatsoever) and they were for her own use ( like her having a car or a mobile phone for example) Then you are not laible for paying the contract cost till the end of the 12 months.

The fact they were in her name not yours doesn't take the responsibility off you towards paying them off.

I am sorry. I hope you will get over the whole thing and forget about it soon.

Thunderbird

timberflake

Well we managed to come to a half way point today after much arguing via email, I'm going t pay £200 andthe matter is closed. No ideal cos its still £100 more than I owe but I'm too tired to argue my point anymore!