Avoiding solicitor fees

I am a foreign national in the uk and want to file for a divorce.

what's the steps I can do myself to reduce as much as I can the solicitores fees? for example should i applied myself for divorce patition to the court myself by just filling the forms myself?

At the moment, as much as i know, my husband doesn't suspect anything about that.

however i would like to take all the necessary precognitions- before i applied for the divorce, which kinds of actions are recommended to do in this stage considering we have a property and a mortgage and a joint account as well as separated bank accounts?

should i let the mortgage company know that i don't want any action to be done without my consent? is it something i can do myself and save solicitor fees?

no children involve here, and we don't have so much money saved or debts therefore I would like to try avoid as much as I can solicitor fees as I want for one and he told me it could cost me between £2000- to £5000 (!!)

Thank you for any advice this is a great forum,

The divorce petition is fairly straight forward but any error, no matter how slight, will mean it is rejected by the court or worse, has to be amended at a later stage (which costs around £50).

You can register your matrimonial home rights on the property that you both live in by filing form MH1 at the Land Registry if the property is in your husbands name. There is no fee to do this as I recall. This will prevent any dealings with the property without you knowing about them.

Solicitors fees can be eye-wateringly expensive. I deal with costs at the firm I work at and in the current market a private paying client is unlikely to see any change from £12,000 if the Ancillary Relief issues went to final hearing.

The estimate that you have is probably to negotiate a settlement with your husband and possibly attend court for the first hearing - beyond those steps I would expect the costs to be much more.

Hi ya,
Thanks for your replay.
Both our names are on the property and on our mortgage and we have a joint bank account, so is there anything that is recommended for me to do before I apply for the divorce, or before I tell my husband that I am gonna live the house and want a separation?

My husband is not mentally stable these days do the to use of drugs, Therefore I am very worried from his reaction to my wish for separation and divorce. Therefore I am planing to tell him just before I am going on the flight or even from abroad.

I am a bit concern that while I am in my home country (trying to recover from a destructive relationship and be around my family..) He could do something with our house or with our joint account.

Any advice about this situation? Is there anything I can do myself before I am going to protect my rights ? or do you recommend in this stage to find a solicitor ?


thank you so much

ronit