Mortgage companies and students

[Simile]

I need some general advice but am a bit scared of talking to my mortgage provider at the moment in case I set their alarm bells ringing.

I'm a student with 3 DCs with a year left to go on my course. The ex moved out last year (he had an affair). We agreed to divorce when I finish my course and get a job so the DCs have continuity with their home (one has ASD). He's changed his mind and wants a divorce now. Which means his name would come off the mortgage.

I only want to move once to minimise the impact on the DCs (particularly DS1).

I'm wondering if a mortgage provider would allow me to take on the mortgage by myself as a student (I've been paying it since ex left) AND give me a payment holiday to cover the time between leaving university and finding a job? Has anyone actually done this?

Would he need to be still on the mortgage to enable me to take get a payment holiday? I'm not sure of the procedures the mortgage people would use.

If I sell the house and downsize now do you think it's possible that my mortgage provider would keep me on given that I'm a student?

I know I'm asking for general advice and that my mortgage provider is the best one to speak to but I don't want to do that quite yet.

I doubt very much that a mortgage provider would give a mortgage to a student with no income, no. Though I'm not an expert in this area so perhaps better to wait for one to come along.

But on the divorce front, you don't have to agree you know. You can contest the divorce and he would have to wait five years before he could apply without your consent. I would use that as a bargaining chip.

Student income isn't counted for mortgage purposes but your child's DLA and any tax credits that you get are counted, so it would depend on the size of mortgage that you require.

From a legal point of view we need to know if you are married or not? If not married in whose name is the house?

If you are married then I would strongly advise you not to agree to move nor to rush anything. Some spouses have to wait until the youngest child is 18 before they can turf the children out of their home. If you are not married the position is very different.

Jane, I think they are married as op is asking about divorce?!

Might be an idea to go to citizens advice too.

Yes we are married. The house is in joint names.

He's saying that he will divorce me on grounds of my unreasonable behaviour if I don't give him a divorce. Not sure what unreasonable behaviour I've actually shown. Is this just posturing?

If you contest the divorce he can't divorce you for unreasonable behaviour as far as I recall. He's trying to bully you into moving out/selling/etc when you realky don't have to, not until your children are grown up.

But please seek proper advice even if you can only pay for one session with a lawyer. And do not agree to anything regarding your DCs home until you have sought proper advice.

PS - put this in Legal; you'll get much better traffic