How do they know the length of separation?

[lifeisgoodagain]

We are being super amicable, all is sorted financially (we aren't going to file financial consent) but there's the two year wait thing. How to they decide when it formally begins? I don't want to have to make false claims and we plain to file online without a solicitor for £550. Because of the mortgage I have a joint bank account, he emotionally checked out years ago, no one can tell when he moved into the spare room, how do they check?

[waterSpider]

They don't, in my experience, particularly if you both agree on the time-line.
I waited 2 years to do mine, in similar circumstance, and realised afterwards it would have been fairly easy to have 'started the clock' somewhat earlier than I did.

[gezzerboy]

I thought it began from the time one of you moves out the marital home ?

[lifeisgoodagain]

@gezzerboy
It says on the govt website you can live in the same home - he's moved now but made sense not to rush to pay rent, our house is big enough. I know when things basically ended it's just we held on until youngest turned 18, I'll use that date.