Divorce is painful enough — the debt picture shouldn’t make it worse
Debt doesn’t divide as neatly as people expect. The questions people arrive with — whose debt is it legally, what does the settlement actually mean for the creditors, and what happens if he just doesn’t pay — don’t always have the answers they hope for. But they always have answers.Debt doesn’t end when a marriage does — but we can help you separate the two.
No charge for the initial conversation. No obligation to proceed. Completely confidential.
Getting clear on what’s yours — and what isn’t
- Understanding exactly which debts are legally yours — and which are not
- Stopping creditor contact that ignores a court order or settlement
- Negotiating with creditors where a settlement agreement hasn’t been honoured by the other party
- Protecting your home and income while the financial picture is reorganised
- Addressing debts that were taken out in your name without your knowledge
- Moving forward — financially independent, with a clear plan
Divorce but 100% of the Debt was Mr. BB’s
“We genuinely wanted to do it the right way — no expensive lawyers, no bitterness, just a fair split and a clean start.”
- Settlement structured that both parties accepted as fair
- Both parties avoided solicitors and reached agreement together
- Creditor arrangement in place — interest frozen, payments manageable
This case came through BNI — Business Network International. Many of our cases arrive through personal and professional networks.
What happens when you contact us
You do not need to have all the answers first. Most people come to us not knowing where to start — that is exactly what the first call is for.
A confidential conversation
We listen. No judgement, no pressure. You tell us what’s happening and we ask what we need to understand the full picture.
We review everything
We look at your situation as a whole — every debt, each party’s position, and what the settlement means in law.
We explain your options
Clearly, in plain English. Every option, with our honest view on which is most likely to produce the best outcome for you.
We take it off your plate
Divorce is already a full-time emotional effort. Once you instruct us, the debt picture is ours to manage. You focus on what matters most.
When the debt picture is the thing the settlement can’t resolve
Divorce settlements can be structurally sound on paper and fall apart in practice — because the debt obligations embedded in them aren’t enforceable against creditors. A solicitor or IFA who involves us early gets a clearer picture of what any proposed settlement can realistically deliver.
We take over the debt matter entirely. Your client’s relationship with you remains intact. We keep you informed at whatever level of detail is useful, and we work to a conclusion — not just an initial assessment.
Lightside is FCA-authorised. The two divorce cases on this page were handled by Priti Shah, who has advised on debt matters arising from relationship breakdown for over fifteen years.
Talk to us about your client
Initial referral discussions are completely confidential. You do not need your client’s permission to make a speculative enquiry. Anonymised details are fine at this stage.
Cases referred by professionals
“When my wife and I decided to end our marriage, we genuinely wanted to do it the right way — no expensive lawyers, no bitterness. What complicated everything was the debt. Most of it was in my name. And my wife didn’t feel it was hers to share.”
Mr. BB came to us carrying £34,000 of personal debt — most of it incurred during a marriage now ending — alongside a closed business and no stable income. His wife held no legal liability, but the debt had been spent on the family. We brought both parties into the same conversation and modelled the options honestly: a straight sale-and-clear would have left each with roughly 10% of the equity — too little to restart. We structured a settlement giving Mrs. BB 70% of sale proceeds as primary carer for two teenagers, with a portion ringfenced to repay a family loan. Mr. BB retained 30% and responsibility for the remaining debt, which we placed into an informal creditor arrangement with interest frozen across all accounts. Both parties accepted the proposal. No solicitors were required.
“I had no money apart from the income from my rental property in Manchester, which didn’t even cover my rent and living costs. A builder threatened to make me bankrupt. I was terrified I would lose my rental property — my source of income and my children’s inheritance.”
Ms. R came to us with credit card debt from a failed property development business, a marriage that had broken down, and a builder threatening bankruptcy over a disputed claim. We first stabilised her finances through a creditor arrangement, freezing interest across all accounts. When the builder proceeded with his petition, we advised her to let him bear the cost — because bankruptcy would write off the credit card debt and the builder’s claim simultaneously. Her condition was clear: her children’s inheritance — a BTL property in Manchester — had to be saved. We advised her parents, who held a second charge on the property, to appoint an LPA Receiver before the first charge holder could act. The LPA Receiver collected the rental income and used it to service the mortgage throughout the bankruptcy period, giving the Official Receiver no viable route to the asset. Ms. R was discharged debt-free, with the property still hers and her children’s inheritance intact.
“Our marriage had broken down and with it any real communication about the business. I still had legal responsibilities. Walking away wasn’t as simple as I wanted it to be — and nobody mentioned that Nimo would personally have to repay £30,000 if we signed.”
Nimo and Tanya were hours from signing a liquidation engagement letter when they were referred to us by a previous client. The company owed £7,800 to creditors — but the liquidation route would have triggered a personal demand for the £30,000 overdrawn director’s loan account, which the firm already engaged had not disclosed. We confirmed that voluntary strike-off remained available: the company had ceased trading and faced no pending proceedings. We settled all creditors in full for £7,800, submitted the strike-off application, and the company was removed from the register without a liquidator ever being appointed. No investigation, no conduct report, no DLA demand. Nimo saved over £22,000 compared with the liquidation route. For Tanya — the other director, still going through the divorce — the outcome also meant the DLA debt could not be used as leverage in the settlement.