Negative Equity, Separation and Complications!

blue_jelly

Im currently in a really stuck situation with my property and need some advice of what to do next, its long story!

I bought my 2 bed flat in Feb 2008, with my now ex partner, he walked away from the property just 6 months after purchase, it is not entirely relevant but the split wasn't amicable, the same day he left the property he cancelled all payments towards the property.

since our split I have continued to reside in the property with our daughter, as he refused to pay the mortgage I felt I had no other way, typically it was bad timing on our part as within mere weeks of purchasing the property the value dropped dramatically.
I have attempted to sell the property on two occasions, both failed to raise any interest as the price required was too high for the market.
The last attempt to sell was 4 years ago, during the time the property was on the market I had moved out to live with my parents, during this vacated time my ex paid half of the mortgage payments (but none of the standing bills i.e water sewerage charges etc) when it became clear the property was not going to sell, rather than discuss renting out or any other options my ex actively encouraged me to move back in with my new partner so he could move into a rented property with his new partner (a bad move in hindsight), he made it quite clear that he had no future intentions of paying towards the joint mortgage and that he didn't want to be chased for money (he has NEVER been asked to pay anything after he left).
During the last 6 years at the property amongst other things I have had to pay £1500 towards a complete roof refurbishment, pay off £1000 of his debt against the property, completely replaced the boiler, gas and heating system (the previous system had been condemned by the gas board) and back paid the months of management fees and council tax that he hadn't paid, none of which he would contribute towards.

It has been a priority of mine over the past 2/3 years that my now husband, 3 children and myself move from the flat, as it is too small for our requirements, upon mentioning that we're looking to move on and are planning to rent out the property (as it is still 14k under the mortgage value) my ex announced that he wants to take over the property, it was verbally agreed that we would move out on the 25th June this year (9 weeks today) he has since found he can not secure a mortgage for it and is now refusing to give us an answer as to whether he is prepared to do what myself and partner have done and move in with both our names still on the mortgage, we have also given him the choice of renting out or leaving it vacant, the later would mean he is liable for half the costs until it is either sold or a tenant moves in.

I can not take on the debt of selling ,I would need to get a £7000+ loan to cover my half of the negative equity which would absorb my rent contributions for our potential new property, if I were to do this we'd end up in a property the same size or smaller than the one we are currently in an completely obliterating the point of moving out, I can not go bankrupt or allow the property to be repossessed and I don't see another way out of this incredibly irritating and upsetting situation.

any help or advice is much appreciatted.

Thanks

ACG

Could you see if you can take your ex off it and put your husband on it and then keep it yourselves to rent it out and try and earn a bit of an income from it to pay the mortgage down?