Amicable - would you recommend?

[WindUpBird]

Has anyone used Amicable? I’ve tried to search threads on here but can’t really find any mentions.

We’ve already separated, I had to move out of the family home, and have split the assets so I guess all the finances are mostly done bar the pensions. We both have the pension statements saying what they are worth.

My concerns are spending £3k or so on Amicable’s service - this might not be necessary as most finances are sorted. However, I’m not totally happy with the financial split - we did mediation but ex-h was very difficult in the sessions (and to live with) and I just needed out. So i do want to make sure that the pension split is done fairly to take into account his higher salary, bigger pension and the fact that I’ve worked part time for years in low-paid job so I could do all the childcare etc.

So am I better off going through Amicable, finding a solicitor, doing the divorce process myself?!

My sister used them and was really pleased. Much cheaper than solicitor.
They did all the paperwork and acted very neutrally. But your ex will need to engage too.

I wouldn’t do the whole thing yourself if he’s a difficult man.
Depends what values are involved if you start involving hours of solicitors time.

Rather than spending more money on more mediation type services I would just get a solicitor and go through courts which you will probably end up doing anyway. Especially if you were the one to move out, he may well feel angry and “abandoned” for a long time.

Thank you. Two different perspectives here. There are not huge sums of money involved hence my reluctance to even spend the £3k or so a friend spent on Amicable.

One solicitor I spoke to for an initial (free) chat said court fees (or his fees?!) might be £7-£8k ‘or more’ which really put me off!!

Honestly if mediation hasn’t worked I don’t see how online mediation wiill

Hello @WindUpBird . I know of one person (not very well), who is using this service and they've been really pleased with it. I think if you're both in a position to be amicable which they are and have agreed on finances it seems all very straightforward.

It sounds as though you just need a consent order if you’ve agreed the split anyway? You’d get that cheaper through a proper solicitor than going through amicable.

Just checked and my consent order (March this year) was 2k with high street solicitor. We only needed one, so ex H and I split the cost. Consent order sailed through first time.

I used it. We had agreed finance. It just meant I was secure everything was done properly and timed right. I woukd recommend

They are great if both parties are cooperative. I say this from experience. I'm still in the process and now, for a third time, my ex is holding up the process by refusing to sign the draft. The amicable team can only proceed when we are both in agreement, so it looks like we've wasted a couple of thousand and will start again via a different route. If all was agreed, then yes I would recommend them.