Household bills and separation

neneromanova

How come you're paying the bills while he lives there? Did it come up in conversation that you will keep doing that?

thorsoak

Stop paying bills for a property that you are not living in, start paying half the mortgage - then there can be no doubt about the split 50/50 when the property is sold.

enthusiasticsaver

You are not responsible for any bills but you are jointly liable for the mortgage. If you stop paying the bills can you afford 50% of the mortgage?

Detroit

You are liable to the mortgage lender for the total payment, as is your husband. To protect your asset, you should ensure the mortgage is paid and agree with your husband what you will pay towards it. 50% seems sensible.

However, you should also speak to your solicitor about your husband paying rent to you for 'your half' of the property he lives in and you do not, as this could offset any contribution you make to the mortgage.

You should not be paying other bills on a property you do not live in.

Pixie5740

Your husband should be paying his own utility bills and as for the mortgage since he's the one living in the property whilst you're paying rent elsewhere he should pay the mortgage on his own. If you have a 20 year old DD I assume that you have what a court would consider to be a long marriage so the split should be 50/50 or thereabouts regardless of whether you pay half the mortgage or not. What has your solicitor advised in terms of the equity split and you contributing towards the mortgage?

ellywellywoo

My solicitor has said 50/50.

I did wonder maybe if it comes to it should i suggest I pay 50% of the mortgage payments but only once we have sold and it comes out of half my equity ?
I cannot afford to pay it at the moment as I have rent to pay.

ellywellywoo

Detroit wrote: »

You are liable to the mortgage lender for the total payment, as is your husband. To protect your asset, you should ensure the mortgage is paid and agree with your husband what you will pay towards it. 50% seems sensible.

However, you should also speak to your solicitor about your husband paying rent to you for 'your half' of the property he lives in and you do not, as this could offset any contribution you make to the mortgage.

You should not be paying other bills on a property you do not live in.

Not sure I understand about him paying me rent for y half of the property ?

Comms69

ellywellywoo wrote: »

Not sure I understand about him paying me rent for y half of the property ?

Lets say the mortgage is £500
And your rent is £600


The common argument (incorrectly held) is that if you don't pay the mortgage you lose your right to increases in equity etc.


So what Detroit was saying ( or if not what I would say) is:


Combine the payments; so £1100 in my example and each pay half.

TBagpuss

ellywellywoo wrote: »

My solicitor has said 50/50.

I did wonder maybe if it comes to it should i suggest I pay 50% of the mortgage payments but only once we have sold and it comes out of half my equity ?
I cannot afford to pay it at the moment as I have rent to pay.

I would not offer to pay half the mortgage. 50/50 is the start point but it may be fair for there to be a small adjustment in yuour favour if your husband has higher income and earning capacity.

The rent issue is that he is living in the property and you are not. So there is an argument that it would be reasonable for him to pay you 'rent' for your half of the property, as he is living there and you are not.

Or to look at is as you are paying housing costs for the place you live in, he pays the costs for the place he lives.

If he were to suggest that you should repay him for any mortgage payments you don't contribute towards, between now and when the house sale completes, then ask him when he will be refunding to you the household bills you've paid towards since you moved out.

If any of the household bills are still in your name or joint names, then contact the utility co. directly, let them know you have moved out and ask for a final bill, then don't pay anything further to those bills. Let your ex know you will no longer be paying.

With the mortgage, let him know you are unable to pay towards the mortgage. IF the mortgage payments are higher than the amount you are currently paying in rent, it might be reasonable for you to pay 50% of the difference.