just to say hi & to ask if anyone has used DIY

just wanted to say hello - and to say how relieved and excited i am to have found this site.

I'm a 38 year woman with two children and about to seperate from my husband of 10 years.
so far we have managed to be very amicable and talk through what i consider to be a very fair set of arrangements for our impending divorce and the settlement needed.

without going in to all the details - i am offering to buy him out of the house etc. and give him access to the children when ever he wants.

having looked at a number of sites - i have found several that offer a DIY divorce or a managed "quickie divorce". has anyone ever used this method and would you recommend it ? it appears to save loads on solicitors costs etc - especially where the final Clean Break order and new wills being written are included in the costs - has any one got any real experiences - good or bad !!!!

i would love to go for a very simple approach where no solicitors can get involved and make things far more complicated than they need to be - and though i know my "other" half could start getting more demanding - i really dont think he will !!!!

xxxx:kiss:

Hi

I went the DIY route - www.divorce-online.co.uk - and found it fine, inexpensive and easy to use. BUT I didn't take any legal advice which in retrospect was absolutely crazy, so don't make the same mistake - particularly as you have children involved.

My ex agreed he wouldn't contest the divorce and in the interest of a doing things easily I said I wouldn't ask for anything financially. We don't have children but I'm now regretting it. We had a short marriage but were together (and co-habiting) for nearly 5 years. I'm now in a situation where he has all the capital, even the Judge rejected our Consent Order application (prepared by me through the DIY service) and now I have a struggle on my hands. I don't want a lot and have now consulted a solicitor, something I should have done in the first place.

Hope that's of help - good luck with everything and enjoy the site.

I to used the same service and found it very easy, I paid extra for the gold servce and would recommend it as long as you all agree to everything

I used the gold service too - and like phoenix1 I would recommend it.

I suppose what I should have spelled out in my earlier post is that make sure that you don't only both agree, but that you are both happy with what you have agreed. I made a decision when I was still very upset about everything and now have some regrets.

If you can do things without using solicitors then I would think that a very good way forward, not only from a financial point of view.

many thanks to your responss

as i am in the position of having to buy him out - i took advice from a solicitor first to find out what i would/might have to pay. based on th eeuity of the house etc.
I also had to make sure that he wouldn't have access to my business - so getting a good base for a settlement offer was really important for me.

He actually just wanted to make sure he got his bike (which i have bought and paid for).

thankfully he is being very reasonable and co-operative.
we are literally sharing all bills including his new house share - and joining forces to make sure neither of us are struggling financially. etc.

We have discussed all the options and agreed the financial and practical issues - so far so good.

waiting for the wikivorce managed divorce launch on monday and then i will go for it.
the package i have looked at so far includes the clean break order and writing of new wills - so agree that its very important to spend that little bit more and get the full service. - its still massively cheaper than going through the solicitor.

once again - many thanks Gill. xxx:laugh: