I think the main thins is to make it clear if it is a clean break or not.
Some solicitors will put in even just 1p a year spousal maintenance if acting for the lower earner as that means the spouse can go back later for more. If instead (as we had) there is no spousal maintenance just a clean break then that optino is removed and in my case I was glad it was removed as the last thing I wanted was to pay my ex maintenance for life.
On the house sale it is very common for a spouse who wants to be difficult or does not want to leave the home to mess up all potential sales, not show people round, not contact the agent, not open the door so sometimes you need it to be clear that the agent holds the keys and can show people round and if not sold by XYZ date then perhaps it goes to auction. If you both want it sold and you know local prices for recent sales (sold prices not advertised prices) then it may not be a problem.
"On completion the equity will be split 50/50 (am going to actually suggest 51% in my favour as I am taking very little in the way of contents), and paid directly by the solicitors to each of us at that time." That suonds good. You might want to add that that is after costs of sale - estate agent fees, solicitors' fees.
"We will each be responsible for our own personal debts at the time of divorce going through." If you have any joint debts other than the mortgage then whatever the consent order says in law you are both liable for say a joint credit card so try to make sure there are none of those.
"It needs to state a monthly maintenance amount for DD to finish when she is 18 or 21 depending if she goes to uni, in which case if she lives away from home he can pay that money directly to her."
Yes and to cover what if she lives with a different parent over the years. Ours unusually says whoever the children live with supports them - it is usually the other way round and my ex didn't want them even for a night a year (except that I higher earner pays school and university costs - uni. fees were £1k when I divorced and next year will be £9k each for the twins).
Make sure you cover 18 and still at school. Mine just turned 18 byut will be school until July next year. Also consider post grad. My two daughters both did 2 years law post grad after university. So that was 5 years - university and post grad. I tink there is a legal right in England for a child of a non resident parent to apply to court to have the parent they don't live with in university holidays help towards unviversity costs but that's a different point.
Also usually child maintenance has a reduction when the child is living with the othe rparent so 7 nights a week with mother more maintenance than if it is 5 nights a week. Things change over time. Also whateer you agree if his income reduces he can apply to court to reduce the child maintenance.
We had equal pensions so just kept our own.
I think the order should say the order is accepted in full and final satisfaction.
My ex worked for me part time fairly casually but I suggested we also had an employment compromise agreement too so any claims he had in that area were settled.
It is common to have a secrecy clause too. In fact a friend recently was asking about his divorce and his wife wanted him to return certain photos to her which they have agreed now to destroy.
You shoudl also deal with the contents of the house. Our consent order says we divide them by agreement and after divided are the property of the party concerned. (in practice we had no problem with that probably because most of the furniture was a load of junk and none of us had expensive jewellery or paintings or cars).
it is good to say there is no claim over the property of the other other than as stated in the order.
We had a bit about the massive lump sums I had to pay then.. ouch. Then that as long as mym ex was paid that the house was then transferred to me ( not relevant to you as you are both selling the house)
Then something about other than as set otu in the order all other claims such as to pension sharing, property adjyustment, financial sharing, claims under MCA and IPFDA 75 Act dismissed.
And that I paid his legal costs within 14 days (ouch again.....)
We also said that joint savings accounts (we had most money in joint names) would go into my name.
There are no pensions to speak of so the only other clause is that it constitutes full and final settlement and neither of us have any claim on the others future earnings.
So very straightforward really. Will definitely do a lot more research.
I have said I will pay to file the divorce petition as it is me that has instigated it, but any other legals costs will be shared so at least am only looking at half of that £650.