Your Home
Whether you own your home or have been renting, the decision about what to do with it now you're splitting up is always a difficult one.
You need to think about:
Are you moving out? Are you having problems because of the credit crunch?
If so, we would really like to talk to you. Please get in touch using our feedback form.
- Who is going to stay and who is going to go, at least in the short term?
Can you end your tenancy now or are you locked into it for a few more months? - What would happen to your tenancy if only one of you stayed? Do you have a right to stay in the property if it’s only you living there? Can either of you stay?
- What will you do about paying the rent or mortgage?
- How will you manage if you find a new place to live?
- Will you sell your house? How will you divide the sale price? What will you each do to ensure a quick sale?
- What will you do about all your stuff - stuff that you may have bought together?
Read our 
Housing leaflet (257 KB), for the lowdown on your rights, whether you own or rent your home. You may also need to get legal advice to make sure you understand your position. You then need to come to an agreement about what you will do. Remember, you can have a two-stage plan for dealing with your housing situation in the short and longer term.
If there are any domestic violence issues you should get legal advice.
Family Mediation
Family mediation is a way of helping couples who are splitting up come to agreements about how they do it. You can use a family mediation service as soon as you have made the decision to end your relationship, or at a later date if there are still outstanding problems.
Couples referred to mediation by a solicitor may be eligible for legal aid to cover the costs. For more details, or to listen in on a family mediation session with our podcast, see our Family Mediation pages.
If you're having trouble coming to an agreement you may want to consider using a mediation service to help you. You should only consider going to court as a last resort because it is a long, expensive and stressful process.
If one of you is staying in the property:
- Make sure that the utility bills and council tax are put in to that name. Otherwise the other partner could be pursued for payment.
- If you are now the only adult in your household be sure to tell the Council Tax Department at your local authority. If you fill in the relevant form you will be entitled to a 25% discount on your council tax.
- Inform your landlord or mortgage lender that your partner has now left.
- Inform your home insurers that your partner has left.
To download all our breaking up information as a leaflet click on Breaking Up checklist (482 KB).
