Hiding property

[fizz47]

Someone I know is going through a messy divorce. Short marriage (less then 3 years) and a young child is involved..

Really weird scenario as they never really discussed finances during their marriage and the husband picked up the tab for everything.

After things have gone south the female is claiming poverty despite earning significantly more than the husband and never paying anything to the household.

There are strong suspicions that she has interest in a property (from prior to to the marriage) and other savings accounts but has not disclosed them in the initial submissions.

Anyone know if you can do an asset search on a person or find out what properties they own? Or a way to find out other accounts held by a person?

[shtu]

Land Registry and Experian could be a starting point?

[Countdown]

I'm not sure if this helps but as part of the divorce proceedings I believe both sides make a formal declaration of all the assets and liabilities they hold. So if they were to hide something and it later came to light the financial settlement could be revisited (plus I assume there would be legal ramifications).

However if the property is held in the name of a family member then there isn't much your freind can do.

[bobtail4x4]

years back I bought a mates year old jag for £50,

took it home and gave it back after the divorce.

[Pit Pony]

My sisters American ex-husband tried to hide $600k from an ohio court.
Her lawyer had knowledge of $500 dollars undeclared.
Judge adjourned the hearing telling her ex husband to come back in 3 weeks with 100% correct information, because if it turned out he tried to hide even $1, he would send him down and strip him.of all assets.
Ex husbands lawyer obviously made sure that he understood, because a house in Florida was found and $300k in various offshore accounts too.

[Jonmx]

Plenty of private investigators with a speciality in finding hidden assets. Sounds like paying a PI won't be an issue if he's been picking up the tab the last few years. I suspect it would be money well spent.

[James P]

I’m not sure who has the right to carry out the search but a PN1 search of the land registry will show any named interests in property. No use if held by a third party or in trust but could be a starting point.

[easytiger123]

bobtail4x4 said:

years back I bought a mates year old jag for £50,

took it home and gave it back after the divorce.

I know someone who, many years ago, was given a 1980's era Aston Martin V8 Vantage by a friend, in a similar arrangement. He got to keep it for a good 10 years before things had calmed down enough to give it back.

[Cold]

After such a short marriage would either party have much of a claim against the other's assets anyway?

[csd19]

If she earns a decent amount more but hasn't contributed to the household, then his solicitor should be pushing for a year's worth of bank statements showing her income and expenditure?

As he'll have to do the exact same? I know divorce is/was different in Scotland compared to England but I would have thought both parties are required to show where their money goes? I certainly had to during my divorce proceedings in 2019.