Housing costs after separation.

Hi,

Apologies if I have posted this question in the wrong section.

I have separated from my wife this year. Both of us have moved out of the martial home.

For health reasons I am staying with family and not working. However I have been left to pay all housing costs (Mortgage, Utilities, Insurance) from the benefits I receive. The joint Mortgage is approx £500 a month with universal credit being around £300.

To help pay bills I have had to borrow money until I can return to work, but this can not keep going on.

It does not help that I can not sell/rent the house, my wife is not communicating. She knows my financial situation and before leaving made it clear she wants the house.

I have now found the house needs some major work doing to stop the condition deteriorating. This is an extra expense that I can not afford.

My question is, is there anything that can be done to make my wife pay towards the repair and ongoing costs of the house?

You hear and read at times of men having to make a financial contribution towards their partners living costs. Is it any different for a man to request the same when his wife is in a much better financial position?

Thank you for taking the time to read my post.

You do not say why she moved out?. What are her financial circumstances? Income/capital? Where is your wife living now?

If she wants the house then it would be to her benefit to pay the mortgage, otherwise there potential is for the house to be repossessed. This is a strong bargaining tool.

How much equity is there in the house? You say major repair, how much are they...have you got some quotes.


Deborah

Thanks for your reply.

I questioned her about large withdraws of cash from joint bank accounts the day she left. But from what I can tell it was pre-planned. Items had been removed from the house and bank accounts drained leading up to that point. I was not staying at the marital home at that point.

She earns around £20k a year, savings around £4-5k.

She lives with family in the same city now.

Equity in the house is around £35k.

Repairs are required to a flat roof that is leaking, need to have an estimate done. At the moment any amount over £0 is a lot to me.

Thanks