Shared care - is maintenance payable?

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DH and I have 2 kids each. Mine are 7 and 5 and his are 12 and 9. Mine are with us full time and his 50% of the time. He shares his kids exactly 50% of the time with his ex and pays 50% of all costs, including clothes, food, actitivies, holidays etc. He and his ex earn the same and he has never paid maintenance to her in the 5 years since they split on the basis that he already pays half the costs. Out of the blue, his ex has now said that she wants maintenance payments on top of him having them 50% of the time. The CMA calculator seems to say that even were there is shared care, maintenance is still payable, in this case 260 a month. Seems massively unfair, especially as DH and his kids have just moved in with us which we think has triggered his ex asking for this as she must think we have more money, which isn't the case at all. DH is v upset about it and wants to say no on the basis that it's completely unfair but it looks like if it goes to court then he would have to pay. Does anyone have any experience of whether maintenance is paybale in circumstances where there is truly shared care?

Whilst I agree with you peruvian - it is not the CSA view and not the view of many on this forum.

My Ex moved in with his new DP and he kids and we would if using the CSA calculator lose £120 per month because he is now helping to support her kids.

It is a v painful point for many single mums - he increases his costs, but his kids still cost the same. EX picks up the shortfall. In my case it would be a shortfall if I got anything like the amount he is supposed to pay!!!!

The 50/50 rule itself is unfair as it only takes into account nights. DH has them 50% of the time but only 3 nights. He picks up more time in the day, as in 3 afternoons a week, which means he has to leave work at 2.30 on those days. I agree though that it's also unfair that DH should be able to reduce the amount he is paying because of my two sons who live with us full time. He does not pay a penny towards them so no idea why he should be able to use them to reduce his contribution to his ex. I told him he needs to talk to his ex and explain that he is not better off as a result of moving in. I think she see a big house and so assumes I have lots of money. I told DH to make it clear that I have a huge mortgage and spend a huge amount on childcare, costs she doesn't have. DH is not currently paying towards any bills or to the mortgage as he has not yet sold his place and so has all the costs there. I did pay for all of us to go on holiday 2 months ago which has probably, again, led to the perception that there is money to be had. Won't be doing that again.

I agree or an be totally unfair. However, my ex and I share care and neither of us pay maintenance but I pay pocket money, trips, etc.and I do all of what I like to call the "child admin" which I often joke I should take a salary for!
So I often feel hard done by but ultimately, it is easier and fairer for no money to change hands.

Something to consider however is that my DH once raised this when we were sharing care with his DD's mum and she simply pulled the plug on 50/50. He got his dd once a week of that and had to pay even more cm than he did initially.

I think your DH should weigh up how his ex will react, along with the money he'll lose and make a decision based on that.