How to leave your husband

[mrsmoneypennie]

NC as very outing.

My niece is married with two children.

She is desperately unhappy in her marriage and wants to leave. However her husband is from an extremely wealthy family and her financial situation is precarious.

They currently live in a house rent free that belongs to one of his family members. This is whilst they renovate the property they bought a while ago but the project is huge and not straightforward.

The house they've bought is worth more than when they bought it even mid renovation (relevant as my thinking was could they put it on the market not finished?)

I'm not sure where she stands legally. What advice can I give her? The family will no doubt get the best lawyers money can buy to support her husband. We aren't from a wealthy family but will help where we can of course.

Please let me know if you need further info. I'm desperate to help her out of such an unhappy situation but it's likely to get very very nasty.

Hopeful bump

She needs to speak to a family law specialist, but to give you a rough idea:
The usual starting point for a marriage is 50%, although she could claim more if she has facilitated his career. She could also claim 50% of his pension worth (and he hers).
All assets (and all debts) are considered joint when married.
It is very complicated, so unless she thinks she will come out of it with nothing, it's worth her consulting a family lawyer to understand what she is entitled to, but she will also need to gather as many facts regarding finances as she can before she goes, so that the lawyer / solicitor has something to go on.

Thanks @vipersnest1
Good advice.

Do you think he could ask her to leave the house that they are living in considering it's owned by one of his relatives? Or should she stay put?

I think the best advice is to thoroughly research good family law specialists. When you find one speak to them first.
Rights of Women has lots of info on procedures.

@mrsmoneypennie,I think he could - but that's where a good lawyer / solicitor could offer the best advice.
If she is legally entitled to stay where she is though, there may be no legal grounds to make him leave either, and that may well be very difficult, as I suspect from what you've said that his family members would be quite happy to tag-team each other so that someone is there all of the time, which wouldn't make for a good atmosphere for the children.
The first step is really to seek advice from someone well-experienced in family law.