Divorce, Housing, Step child

Living together nearly 10 years, married for 4 years. Husband wants the divorce. Husband a high earner 50k plus 50% bonus, private health care, shares, recent redundancy payment of 59k, pension, company car etc. Wife earns £22,470 and has one step child.

House valuation 450k, once mortgage equity is approx £220k less selling costs. Wife sold her and sons home to fund deposit for family home.

Husband is proposing 50/50 split which wife cannot do. Wife can borrow only approx 95k/100k for new mortgage. Husband can borrow 250k for new mortgage. Due to area couple live wife is unable to buy a home for approx £210k. Unable to move child to new area due to important year of exams coming up.

Can husband enforce 50/50 split, he says he can
What can wife do to help this situation
A mortgage would be approx £500/month. Rent approx £1250/month.

Your post is confusing as it is difficult to work out who is who.

Wembley1234 wrote:

Wife earns £22,470 and has one step child.

Where are the natural parents? Is the wife looking after her son and a step child?

House valuation 450k, once mortgage equity is approx £220k less selling costs. Wife sold her and sons home to fund deposit for family home.

How much deposit was put in? On what basis is the house owned, ie tenants in common or joint tenants?

Assuming there will be one child living with the wife how much is a two bed house in the local area?

Husband a high earner 50k plus 50% bonus, private health care, shares, recent redundancy payment of 59k, pension, company car etc.

Post details of all assets. The above suggests husband has a new job following redundancy? Presumably there are savings?

Sorry, I should have made my explanation clearer.

Answers to questions are below

Wife earns £22,470 and has one son (not husbands)

House valuation 450k, once mortgage equity is approx £220k less selling costs. Wife sold her and sons home to fund deposit for family home.
60k deposit put down by wife. House purchased as tenants in common.

2 bed house in local area is between £280,000 and £300,000

Husband a high earner 50k plus 50% bonus, private health care, shares, recent redundancy payment of 59k, pension, company car etc.
Yes new job following redundancy, previous job was 55k plus up to 90% bonus, pension, company car etc

Hope this helps

You need to know what pensions are worth. Plus any other assets in addition to the £59k redundancy which I assume is saved?

So far there are assets of £279k but pension will probably boost this pot up quite a bit. Important if looking at a 50/50 split of the pot.

How much other income does wife get? CM from father of child plus she will now qualify for CB again and may get other benefits too.

How is house split? Is her £60k initial investment reflected in how it is held?

How would wife find out about pensions values?
How would wife find about other savings if only in husbands name?

Husband has advised wife that due to it only being a short marriage that only the house would count in divorce? Is he correct?

Husband has arrived home from work demanding that the marital home be put up for sale asap, bur wife is concerned that finances are not sorted. Can husband put house up for sale without wife's permission? Husband is saying that he can do this.

Husband has advised wife can have back deposit plus 50% of equity in house and if wife can't get a mortgage then rent.

Wembley1234 wrote:

How would wife find out about pensions values?
How would wife find about other savings if only in husbands name?

Full financial disclosure has to be made to each other and the court. CETV will need to be requested for pensions

Husband has advised wife that due to it only being a short marriage that only the house would count in divorce? Is he correct?

a 14 year relationship is hardly short. Advice from your stbx, or anything that begins with "my solicitor says" should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Husband has arrived home from work demanding that the marital home be put up for sale asap, bur wife is concerned that finances are not sorted. Can husband put house up for sale without wife's permission? Husband is saying that he can do this.

No he can't. It needs the agreement of both parties or a court order.

Husband has advised wife can have back deposit plus 50% of equity in house and if wife can't get a mortgage then rent.

Again why would you think that "advice" from your ex would favour anyone but themselves?

Sorry I have confused you further with my dreadful introduction email and another sentence of poor English with the sentence below -

.... Living together nearly 10 years, married for 4 years.....this should read been together for 9 years, living together for 8.5 years and within the 8.5 years married for 4 of those years. I am sorry.

Is the husband correct when he says this is only a short marriage therefore only our house could only be taken into consideration?

Husband has put in writing to the wife that the house financials should be split as follows -

Wife - deposit returned plus 50 percent of equity in house sale.
Husband - 50 percent of house sale plus his shares / pay off 40k.

This as far as husband is concerned is not up for negotiation and his final offer. Should wife respond in writing rejecting his offer and reasons why?

Wife has tried to explain verbally regarding cost of houses etc and tried to give a list of reasons why she is unable to accept his offer but husband has dismissed wife's reasons, explaining in front of wife's son that he doesn't care where we live.

Should the wife now seek help of her solicitor to write back to her husband or firstly respond in writing herself first and obtain his response