My DB's wife has told him the marriage is over. She has told their children (16, 12) that he will be 'leaving soon'. Apparently she 'hasn't felt the same about him' for a long time. No idea if someone new is on the horizon.
She works part-time as a nurse. He manages a shop (I don't know his salary) fulltime. There is about 50k equity in their house. They've been together 17 years but married only about 4/5.
He thinks she has debts (eg 20k). No idea about their pensions. She has told him it's the 'family home' and so she can't be expected to leave it.
He's seeing a solicitor soon but I think he needs to go in armed with the right info/questions and I know very little about the practicalities of divorce.
He's very concerned about how much he's obliged to pay her, and whether he'll be able to afford anywhere of his own after. Ideally he'd have his half of the equity from the house, if not he wants to be able to rent at least a two-bed place. But of course he wants to make sure the kids are looked after.
She can't afford to buy him out, and there's no way she will agree to leave, so I think she'd be in the house until the youngest is 18. If he pays half the mortgage, what happens if she doesn't pay her half?
Would a court expect him to pay the full mortgage PLUS maintenance? He often works til late due to the nature of his work so it is not really practical for him to take the kids more than a few days a week, though he's willing to.
He could probably buy her out/remortgage, but there's no way she will agree to it. Would a court ever order a sale in these circumstances?
If they need to go to mediation, is it very expensive?
At the moment he wants to stay in the house until he's had proper advice but she is clearly expecting him to leave and yet pay for it all. And yes, I'm aware I don't know the story from her side, but this is how it seems on the surface.
Really sorry for all the Qs, I'm just so ignorant of the next steps.