Joint money and what to do?

[daisymai08]

My DH and i have separated, he won't move out and he earns quite a lot more than I do. We have £9000 in savings in a joint account and my DH is about to start getting his salary paid into his own account and pay me half the mortgage bills.
I'm going to struggle a bit and I'm concerned he's going to take half the savings (to save) and I might then need to use some of my half to live on.
Any ideas on what's the best course of action. We're selling the house in Spring....

[Phillipa12]

Firstly do you have dc? If you are going to struggle to meet your half of bills then i would be insisting that the house goes on the market asap if not then i would be asking if the bills can be split so that you are each paying an equal % with relation to your wages. If your mortgage defaults its not just your credit rating that gets damaged its his too, im assuming he is on the mortgage, so it would be in his own best interest.

[OhBlissOhJoy]

I would get yourself to a solicitor for their advice. Can you not access the joint account? Where are you living while he stays in the house?
My STBXH isn't paying enough to cover the bills and mortgage so I'm paying his share out of my own savings and praying it comes out of the final settlement.

[TwitterQueen1]

Take out your half now, and put it into a separate account.

My bastard exH cleaned out the joint account and then refused to contribute towards either of our 2 mortgages or pay child support.

Take photocopies of everything.

[MrsBertBibby]

Can you ask the bank to make the account dual signature only?

[daisymai08]

I have access to it yes, I've got a meeting with a solicitor in on Thursday. He earns quite substantially more then I do. If we split the savings I'll need them to top up my wages. Gosh it's all quite complicated. Can't sell the house yet just waiting for my DS school place to be confirmed.
Thanks for your help. All this online banking has it's pit falls...

[EnormousTiger]

Communication rather than war tends to work best. Why not just discuss it between the two of you?
If he is not paying you enough now even though paying half mortgage and half the bills etc and you earn less (I earned more than my husband so not always that way round) you may have a right to interim spousal maintenance pending the divorce finances being finalised by agreement or by a judge. Your solicitor can advise you on that.

Do you have to sell the house? I would make sure you have spoken to a solicitor before you sell. It may be if you earn less you could stay in it with the child and your ex supports you or you may be able to get a better paid job or remortgage (as I did) to buy ex out of house?