Living Separately in Family Home - One Party won't Pay Bills

Two Hill

Hi, going through a very difficult separation - currently living Separately in Family Home - my wife (whom works and earns well and also collects child allowance for 2 children) refuses to pay half of mortgage or any of utility bills. Does poor conduct like this get evened up in court or taken into account as bad behavior?

It has been going on like this for 18 months.

She has been uncooperative on all matters since separation began...... Refused mediation..... Spent a substantial redundancy payment...

We generally split child care, maintaining kids, and house / home keeping duties.

Nothing agreed on - very difficult. We are in the legal system awaiting a hearing date.

Hoping it gets resolved before then but trying to guage how a judge takes this kind of poor behavior into account.

Any help from those perhaps with knowledge or any idea would be greatly appreciated. Or tips to help get them paying.

Thanks

RIRI

Sorry to hear you are facing into this OP.

I am in a similar situation, only for longer and genders are reversed.

There is no doubt that if one party refuses to engage reasonably the other is facing a very long, difficult and expensive uphill struggle in Irish Family Law.

I have no idea how this will be considered in court but the role of the court is to ensure "adequate provision" is made for the children and both parents. You do need to submit affidavits of welfare and means, basically your income and expenditure and I would guess (if caught) being untruthful on any document before the court will not go well.

My solicitor says a judge will look at contributions over the course of the marriage, both parties means and childrens welfare and make an order on that basis but I don't honestly know. I hear all the time that its 50/50 no matter what, woman always gets the house even if not contributing no matter what....Men get screwed for maintenance etc etc. I would hope that each case is considered on its own merits and sensible decisions are reached in court but again, who knows.

Can't offer any tips to get them paying either ... been trying to do the same the last 4 years and was sucessful in getting €60 per week, we'd agreed that in mediation but he stopped paying after 4 weeks so that was that. Keep meticulous resords of your spending though, you will need your evidence.

Sorry I can't actually help with your specific questions OP and again I am sorry you are experiencing this

Best of luck

Two Hill

Thanks for your help. You hear lots of horror stories of people having difficult separation but little known on how matters get resolved in court. Any help out there please shout..... Sharing is caring.