Financial Consent Order Processing Time

[Jonathan70]

Consent order has been submitted via online portal. Anyone submitted theirs recently and can give an idea of current processing times? I know it depends which Court deal with it but would be good to get a idea…Thanks.

i have been following thread while waiting for my out of time final order/ decree absolute to get approved. It was submitted on 30 th May. I called yesterday HM court and tribunal service and was told it was approved last Tuesday on 25 th June. Surprisingly my lawyer mentioned that they never received any confirmation from court

@Jena151 did you need a reference number when you called. I don't know how to get this without asking solicitor for it

Yes, you need reference number. I got it from solicitor only. There will be some basic security check questions.

Can you share what number you rang? my brother called 0300 123 5577 and he kept hearing a recorded messages saying 'we are unable to provide any updates on current applications, our staff do not have access to provide updates,' he then decided to end the call as the message was continually played whilst he was on hold.

everytime I was on hold for more than an hour but they really reply quite satisfactorily

Thank you I will get him to call them now.

Just to update everyone my brother rang the helpline and had to wait 1 hr 15 mins...the lady said this telephone number is only for discussing divorce applications related to Conditional Orders / Final orders and NOT Finances you need to speak to another team

She then said she would put him through to another department and he wouldn't have to wait again but he ended up back in a queue...

Another update from my brother he finally got through to the financial team and they told him "this is a contested order where no agreement has been made" The lady said she can see notes on the system but she doesn't have the permission to share them despite him pleading with her and passing all the security checks!

He was then told he needs to call his local court who are dealing with the matter for an update, he rang them and they said 'Sorry we can't help you, you need to speak to HMCTS, he told the guy he just spoke to them and they told him to speak to his local court. The guy said "sorry can't help you"

I can't seem to edit the above post, but as far as he knows his consent order is not "contested" his ex wife's solicitor drew up the consent order which outlined the split of everything and they both signed it....the system seems a mess!

Hey guys, so in record speed my re-submission has been referred to a judge already... in 2 days... maybe the complaint did work. Will keep you posted on if there's approval imminently

can't his ex wife get an update from her solicitor as they should be chasing / following it?

Hi everyone, so in record time my financial order has been approved - just 1 week after resubmission! I can't believe it.

My solicitor upon my request was checking every day and didn't get an alert to the approval - so for those waiting, it might be worth your solicitor checking to make sure it isn't already approved!

I think my online complaint to HMCTS made a difference. Good luck to those all in the process you will get there.

Massive Congratulations!!
I bet you must be so happy! it just goes to show the process does not need to take several weeks!!
I spoke to my brother today still no update, his ex wife's solicitor chased up the courts on Wednesday and is still awaiting a reply!

Out of interest how did your solicitor know it got approved if it wasn't updated on the system?

ah thank you! Ordinarily the solicitor apparently gets an email alerting them of approval, however this didn't happen and they just happened to notice it was approved when they logged into their portal!

Hope your brother gets approval soon.

I am totallly fed up now. 10 weeks and nothing. Been to solicitors... she on leave.. just making me really angry. Got mortgage stuff and wills all waiting for this flipping consent order. It's a shambles.

Can you get them to check online it definitely hasn’t been approved?

you could try complaining to the HMCTS, I believe that worked for me.

So sorry to hear this, I spoke to my brother last weekend he is in a very similar situation, he is being evicted in October, due to the landlord selling the house. He doesn't want to rent again as no one will offer him anything less than 12 months, and with the money from the divorce he will have enough to purchase. The issue is the consent order just isn't moving so when he spoke to a few house builders they said until you have the money in your account we can't help you!!

This is just getting beyond a joke how is anyone able to move on with their lives if they are all just stuck waiting for some judge to approve the order! The lack of updates is so sad!! My brother is getting back into a state of depression and constantly asking me when will this nightmare be over? he left his abusive wife in 2022 and the divorce has nearly taken 2 years!!

He spoke to his ex wife's solicitor last week who said she is also fed up and is going to chase the courts again on 1st July, but still no update!

He is telling me he is going to go down to the courts and not leave until they tell him what is happening!

Just another weekly update and still no join. Lodged a complaint with HMCtS so will wait and see what happens
11 weeks now ……..

Thanks for sharing your update, I've advised my brother to reach out to his ex's solicitor one last time, if there is no update he will also lodge a complaint. He still has not had a reply to his email he sent to the courts..

After lodging the complaint...guess what.. approved in 24 hrs..so that's 11 weeks . Absolutely disgusting service but thankyou to all for listening to me moan

WOW WOW WOW! This is shocking!! My brother just spoke to his wife's solicitor and she said no update the portal is still showing as 'referred to judge'

He sent a complaint letter this morning I will keep you all updated, please keep your fingers crossed for him!

I got mine this week and it took 6 weeks once the solicitor submitted it, maybe a couple of days less

Been waiting 11 weeks & 2 days now . Case confirmed as being sat in judges work load in Coventry court for at least 7 weeks .
I see some have created a complaint , can you advise where you sent the complaint to .
Tried the official phone numbers but just fobbed off & told they can't help with specific cases .
Many thanks

Hey just wanted to add, shock!! My brother's consent order was approved in less than 24 hours after making a complaint! I would only recommend going down the complaints route if you have been waiting close to 6 weeks!

In order to create a complaint he said he just googled 'HMCTS Complaints' and there was a web form to fill in.

Wishing everyone best of luck!

Now he just has to send off for the final order! Let's hope that only takes a few days!

Glad the complaints thing seems to work!!!