Divorced and trying to get off the mortgage

kcv684

Hi,

I am looking for some guidance or advice from anyone that has been in a similar or the same situation as myself. I am being told many conflicting things from mortgage providers.
I divorced my wife a few years ago and left the family home where she still lives with my two children. We made a non legal agreement that I would continue ti pay the mortgage for a year after a moving out but at this point she was to take over the full mortgage payments. This was fine for the first year but for the last 18 months she has fallen into arrears with the property and the account is now over 7k in debt. She has been put on various payment arrangements and the Halifax are fully aware that I am no longer living in the property and agreeing these payment arrangements with her directly. I am desperate to get off this mortgage and despite numerous phone calls to Halifax, I am being told different things but mainly that the process needs to be instigated by my ex wife. She has apparently contacted them as she is keen for me to get off the mortgage also but does not seem to be getting anywhere. Has anyone else been through this with Halifax or know of their criteria so that she can take the mortgage on by herself, bearing in mind that she will need to go through affordability and there are existing arrears on the property.

Any information would be appreciated.
Thanks

Alter_ego

There is no chance in the circumstances you describe.

jaybeetoo

Sell the house if you want to get off the mortgage.

kcv684

I would love to do that however, she is refusing to sell the house.

jaybeetoo

Are there children involved?

If not, go and see a solicitor and see if you can get a court to order the sale of the house. If you carry on as you are, Halifax will get to the point of repossessing the house and come after you both for any shortfall. Better for you both to sell voluntarily rather than having it repossessed.

Thrugelmir

kcv684 wrote: »

I would love to do that however, she is refusing to sell the house.

Then you need to come to a legally binding agreement in order to separate your financial affairs.

A_Nice_Englishman

Do we know why the ex-wife paid the mortgage for the first year but then fell into arrears? Was there a change of financial (or other) circumstances?

csgohan4

you need legal advice, you can't trust anyone else other than yourself generally. Get a legally binding agreement, but if there are children involved you may be forced to keep the house until a particular time

ACG

As above, you need to speak to a solicitor.
But regardless of what you agreed with the ex, Halifax may still come after you for any outstanding amounts if/when it gets repossessed. Your credit report is going to be a bit of a mess now also I am guessing.

This will effect you if you end up applying for a mortgage yourself in the future so the sooner you can get this sorted the better.

AnotherJoe

You could consider making up the arrears as part of a clean break.
In any case you need to see a solicitor.

Alter_ego

AnotherJoe wrote: »

You could consider making up the arrears as part of a clean break.
In any case you need to see a solicitor.

But can you get a clean break from the lender?
Agree about a solicitor