In this article Diane Matthews, member of the Watson Ramsbottom family team specialising in divorce, looks at the difficulties that arise when one party in a divorce or relationship breakdown wants to sell the family home and the other does not. This can be one of the potential disadvantages of having more than one owner of a property.
In a recent case, a husband went to court to force the sale of a property he owned with his wife (she having a very small share) when she refused to cooperate and took significant – and successful – steps to scare off potential purchasers.
The wife bombarded prospective purchasers with misinformation regarding the property, designed to persuade them to withdraw their interest in it.
The solution sought by the husband was simple – he asked the court to make sure that the names and addresses of any proposed purchasers and their solicitors would not be revealed to his wife.
The court was able to agree.