Definitely get a new agent, but be careful when choosing as some estate agents (as you are probably aware) are owned by a parent company so even if you chose a new estate agent they could be part of the same company as your existing agent IYSWIM and you ex could still influence. Perhaps choose 3 independent estate agents.
You need to ask for honest feedback from the agents and find out what people think about the house and change things if you need to. Get a friend who has a house that you think is really smart and ask them to tell you what they think is scruffy and what they would change, as long as it?s cheap then do it.
Can you afford to pay the mortgage until the house is sold? If not, be careful, lenders will smile sweetly and let you pay less each month. Then still repossess you if long term you can?t make the payments.
Frankly I think your ex sounds like he is being a major shit, you are paying the mortgage, he doesn?t want you to sell because house prices are low at the moment, so I?m guessing he wants you to wait until prices rise and he can get half of the equity. I?d call his bluff and say you are going to stop paying the mortgage and tell him (as long as it won?t put you in physical danger) that you have passed his address to the lender as he is jointly liable.
If you are having problems meeting your mortgage payment each month you lender might agree to you selling at a lower price (it saves them a lot of work) but be careful about doing this if you will need to claim any housing benefit to help with your next move. They will still chase you for the outstanding debt but if you haven?t got any money they can?t chase very hard and you don?t need to give them a forwarding address.
Renting IMO is just putting off the problem, the house will always be part owned by your ex and at some point (unless you are ever wealth enough to buy him out) you will have let go of the house. Renting is great if you can get enough rent to clear the mortgage and still afford to fix things is they go wrong. Generally the maths used to calculate would indicate that if you have little or no equity in the property you would not be in a position to do this (sorry, bit harsh perhaps, but if the house eventually gets repossessed then it?s better to have it happen without a tenant in there.)
A good credit rating is useful, but it?s not much good on its own and if you are not enjoying life because you hate where you live! I?d have a good go at selling, but if it doesn?t work, I?d either try building a life where I was and accept the situation or forget the house and move on.
If you decide to stop paying the mortgage and be repossessed you need as many of the following as you can:
A bank account that you money is paid into that is not the same bank that your mortgage is with.
Someone who will be happy to go as a guarantor for the house that you want to rent.
A deposit so that you can private let.
?and don?t go for voluntary repossession and hand the keys back, you might need help with housing benefit, you don?t want them to try ad say that you made yourself intentionally homeless.
Being repossessed is a huge thing, but it?s not completely the end of the word and you can recover from it even though it takes a bit of time, but you definitely need good family support and good information (if you have to pay for it, don?t trust it). I don?t think anyone would ever say that they got repossessed on purpose but there comes a point where you have to move on and let it happen?definitely have another go a selling with a none ex partner connected agent though?