Financial Settlement - Divorce

[station4]

Hi My husband and I have been separated for almost 2 years, We have been going to mediation and everytime he agrees a settlement changes his mind. So he has now lived in the martial home for 20 months refusing to sell. I left and rent a home for me and our two children. We are due in court for settlement at the beginning feb. He has failed to pay child maintenance for the past 6 months and prior to that was paying approx �130 less per month than he should have. I receieved a copy of his form E in the mail yesterday with an offer. there would be about �60K equity and he is offering (or rather his parents) me and the kids �15K. They say because I have not contributed to the mortgage but he has refused to sell and I have housed our children not him. We owe his mum 10K but they say if i accept �15K they will forget the �10k we owe. Does asyone have any experience of this? Any ideas what I may expect if it does go to court. Also he has stated that the CSA assessed him wrongly which is why his payments which are taken directly from pay are so high, where in fact he told the CSA he would rather give up work than pay. He has also sworn on oath that he does not live with anyone but the martial home is empty and he stays at his girlfirends house. My kids have just come back from 4 days with their dad and not once did they step foot in the former martial home???? Just feel like he bullying me ? saying with house market I should accept �15k?????? HELP!!!!!

[ummmm]

Presuming you bought the house together?

50/50

[voltr4m4x]

On the face of it, this looks like becoming a somewhat messy divorce with finance being the central issue and not,( as it looks by reading your post,) welfare of the children. For one thing, I don't quite understand who "they" are when you say "they say because I have not contributed to the mortgage..." Are they the parents of your husband ? Or are they the people with whom you had met for mediation ?

The best advice I can offer you from this position is that you contact a good lawyer - one who specialises in matrimonial matters. But essentially one who can display that he/she is on your side and who will push matters forward. Be assertive yourself without being aggressive. You will be aware that you may qualify for legal aid if your earnigs are such that you are unable to meet the costs of hiring a FIRST-RATE solicitor.

Moreover, accept nothing that is offered currently. regardless of "threats", which you explain as "bullying".