Case Studies

We present a series of case studies based on the experiences of women who have contacted the MWNUK Helpline. These case studies offer real-life scenarios and highlight practical solutions to the complex issues faced by women, men and couples.

The names and scenarios have been altered to respect anonymity of individuals.

Marriage – Financial Issues

Sara’s Case

Keywords – property ownership, legal rights to property

Sara is married and, after living with her in-laws for many years, she and her husband moved into a home of their own. A few months later, her husband used the excuse of a missed mortgage payment to pressure her into signing a document removing her name from the mortgage.

It is important to understand the distinction between being named on the mortgage and having legal ownership of a property. Being named on the mortgage means you are legally responsible for making the mortgage payments, regardless of whether you live in the property. However, this does not necessarily mean you are a legal owner of the property—ownership is a separate legal matter.

If a couple is legally married under state law, both spouses may have rights to occupy the property and may be entitled to a share in it, depending on various factors. These rights are especially relevant during divorce proceedings and when determining child arrangements or financial settlements.

In Sara’s case, it was unclear what the motivation in removing her name from the mortgage was. It seems likely that she may not have been named as a proprietor on the property Title Deeds and therefore her husband could now potentially sell or re-mortgage the property without her consent or knowledge while they were married.