My solicitor is asking for maintenance from my stbx. He says a lump sum order is best for me as i dont work at present (Im on long term sick). Whats a reasoable amount to ask for and how is is it ­base­d? We were married 14 years, together 16yrs. We had no children together.

Cindy

I maybe should add that spouse earns nearly 20k a year. MH has equity of 40k after he remortgagd it 20k to give me 17k. I used the 17k to pay a big deposit & fully furnish & carpet my rented house. (I took nothing at all from MH) I'm currently on Income support & low rate DLA. I have to pay top up rent of £80 a month, ive almost nothing left to live on for food, clothes etc.
He pays MH mortgage of around £390 per month.
I am 51 yrs old, he is 50.

Cindy

So your equity went from 60k to 40k after you took 17k. I presume that he kept 3K.

Your share must have been 30k, so he owes you 13k

He might choose to get a valuation for less than the MH is worth so I reckon you'll be quids in on 10k

Hope I got that right

Yes thats right, he kept 3k. I was hoping for around 10 to 13k myself but i realise the market isnt good. He had to send 3 estimates of valuation to my solicitor a few weeks ago. I think they were all between 85k and 94k, well thats what hubby says!

Thanks for clarifying that though.
Still not sure how maintenance lump sums work though?

Cindy

cindygirl wrote:
Yes thats right, he kept 3k. I was hoping for around 10 to 13k myself but i realise the market isnt good. He had to send 3 estimates of valuation to my solicitor a few weeks ago. I think they were all between 85k and 94k, well thats what hubby says!

Thanks for clarifying that though.
Still not sure how maintenance lump sums work though?

Cindy

I hope that you also invite a couple of estate agents in to perform a valuation. Combat the probability that your hubby will get a local one in by picking up your yellow pages and ring around the City Centre ones.

If you manage to get a lump sum that pushes you over the threshold that Housing Benefit allows, ask your solicitor to hold some of the money in his "client" account pending something or other (be artistic ) and have the second half released over to you coincidentally after you squandered the first half (or bought some furniture). Solicitors generally enjoy having clients money for longer than they need to

Good luck

Thanks for that advice, its really helpful. I do worry that i have to declare the money if its over 6K & i'm also having to pay the divorce fees. He hasnt defended it at all & agreed to divorce on condition i paid fees. My sol said that was ok as i get legal aid, but i'm sure i will have to pay the fees if i get money from property.
Cindy