A Guide to Ending a Relationship

A Guide to Ending a Relationship

By Euan Davidson

euandavidson@godalmingfamilymediation.co.uk

Sometimes, there will be a clear reason for ending a relationship, such as an affair or a heated argument, whilst at other times there will have been a slow drifting apart or long-term issues, but whatever the cause of the breakdown in a relationship, separation is often the start of a long and difficult struggle.

Whereas unmarried couples who never had children together and who never bought a house together might be able to walk away from the relationship, most people are likely to have many complex issues to address.

Married couples will need to consider whether a divorce would be appropriate and, if so, whether there are grounds for divorce, as well as trying to reach a financial settlement, including about the ownership of the family home, the division of pensions and the options for spousal maintenance provisions.

Couples with children will also have many children’s issues to discuss, ranging from agreeing the living arrangements to deciding who is going to pay for the costs of schooling and other expenses.

Unfortunately, far too many separating couples choose either to bury their heads in the sand in the hope that the issues will resolve themselves, which generally leads to the issues festering and worsening, or to seek immediate legal advice, which often results in legal letters being exchanged that make it very difficult for measured and objective decisions to be made.

This is where family mediation can offer the perfect opportunity for separating couples to work together with a mediator, who may also be a qualified solicitor and who can provide both parties with plenty of legal and practical guidance whilst also identifying when it would be appropriate for additional legal or financial advice to be sought by both parties in parallel with the mediation process.

Most people who enter the mediation process will save lots of time, money and stress by avoiding legal disputes or court battles, whilst also minimising the acrimony often associated with a divorce or separation, which can be worth its weight in gold at such a difficult time, especially when there are children of the relationship as they will benefit from their parents working together rather than fighting each other for years to come.

If you are going through a separation then please do contact a qualified local mediator rather than hoping that the problems will go away or considering jumping straight into a legal dispute with your partner or spouse.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post and I look forward to reading your comments.

Euan Davidson

Family mediator

Godalming Family Mediation