What do I need to do?

[febbabies2023]

Right, my ex is moving out in 3 weeks time

I'm staying in our mortgaged property, he is getting a rental.

We plan to sell this house before the mortgage is due up next year, but there are a couple of things that need doing to the house before it can be put up for sale.

My question is, what do I need to do now?
How can I make it as cheap as possible / what can I claim for?

For reference and as not to drip feed, we have two young children (1&4) and I earn 55k a year so not sure that I'm entitled to much

Thank you!

My question is, what do I need to do now?
How can I make it as cheap as possible / what can I claim for?
Are you talking about the house or children?

If it's the house you do the little jobs that look expensive to do, ie skirting boards falling off, thoroughly clean it all and declutter a lot.

As for the financial side of selling - get quotes from 3x EA, both decide on which one. Do you both agree on the equity split?

If they need to be done to sell this house ( unusual) then you need to agree 50-50 split or whatever

You need agree that estate agent fees , soliciter free sone out before any profit is split etc ?

If you think jobs need to be done and he doesn't then you end up taking the hit yourself

Cheap as possible would mean conveyancing yourself and an online estate agent - neither of which I could recommend

Sorry I probably should have made this clearer - I meant in terms of bills / claiming for anything that I would be entitled too anything house related

I'll be staying in the house probably for the next 6 months or so

Anything that does need doing to the house (for example the kitchen window doesn't open and needs fixing) will be split 50/50

Thankfully ex isn't a dickhead so we're on the same page with these things

Him moving out will actually help with the declutter / organisation of this house so I can get it to a selling standard. There's nothing majorly wrong with it, but the cat has fucked the carpets, it needs a lick of paint etc

Fresh paint including ceilings - clean light fittings.

Take photos like an estate agent would and look at them! Does it look stark? Pictures or mirrors in the wrong place?

Make sure you stick to a similar pallet through our, but don’t make it dull - pull things together with cushions:

clean or replace carpets, jet wash the drive or garden.

Ask a friend for a min honest opinions.

What made you like the house? For example large entrance hall, which is now cluttered with coats and shoes -

Go on entitled to website for anything you might be entitled to.

I meant in terms of bills / claiming for anything that I would be entitled too anything house related
The bills are all yours including the mortgage until it is sold. Ex is paying rent and it's not right he pays two lots of housing costs. However he should be paying half towards the children. Look up cms for the minimum amount and hope he will pay more. He "should" pay half the childcare costs but a lot don't.

Go onto entitled to website to see if you qualify for any benefits. Ask for single person council tax once he's moved out.

As for the house you can either spend money to get more back at sale time or you can admit defeat and just ask for a lower sale price, so it really depends on how bad it is. Mine was in bad condition due to Ex so I priced it to sell. Price got viewers through the door but giving it a really good scrub and declutter helped sell it quickly.

Apply for the Council Tax 25% single person discount.
Cancel any tv subscriptions he had that you dont want - Sky Sports etc
Apply for universal credit. You may get some if your childcare costs are high.

Earning £55k I'd be astouded if you are entitled to any benefits. Only things you'd get are -

Child benefit
25% single occupancy on council tax
Child maintenance

With regard the house. Just general tarting up. Declutter & paint/recarpet anything looking old & tired.