Reasons Not To Use a DIY Divorce Kit
There seems to be a DIY way to do almost everything nowadays from kitchen cabinets to conveyancing. If you think divorce is one area that’s immune, you’d be wrong. DIY divorce kits have been available for a while now and if you have no children, assets, other issues to sort out and the divorce is totally amicable it can be a cheap way to get what you want.
The truth is that in 99% of cases it’s not really the right approach to take.
Let’s start by seeing how it works. You should expect to part with an average of £100 of your hard earned cash, you get sent the divorce forms to fill in and send them back to the company. What could be easier?
While this may be great in the short term, it can actually damage you in the longer term. For example, you could be unwittingly agreeing to financial arrangements that will put you at a disadvantage and cost you money.
The truth is you can also get these same divorce forms from the local county court and they’re free.
The DIY divorce has often been compared to a similar approach for carrying out conveyancing. While it’s easy to see the connection, they’re actually two very separate processes. Divorce, as we are all aware, can be messy, especially when there are two parties who are at odds with each other.
Even when the split is amicable, there can be plenty of issues such as assets and support to sort out. Unlike conveyancing, the majority of divorce cases don’t fit in a black and white category and there’s usually more to everything than just simply filling in a form or two.
For a start, if you make a mistake on the forms, it could well cost you. Neither are these forms tailored really to your individual needs, unless by complete chance. Add to that the fact that you get hardly any legal advice, at least none that’s really important, and you should begin to see the disadvantage of purchasing a DIY divorce kit.
There are a range of different offers for these kits and some are not quite what they seem. While the higher priced ones appear to suggest that someone with a legal qualification is looking over your documents, it’s not really clear whether someone is or whether this actually takes place. There’s also a broad scope for barely legal, DIY scams that don’t do much more than deliver your forms for a rather large sum of money.
Why It’s Better To Use a Solicitor For a Divorce
It’s always a good idea to sit down with a qualified divorce solicitor and discuss your situation. Yes, it might cost a little bit more but you can be certain that you are getting the right advice, will have your divorce forms checked and that the person you hire is going to fight your corner to the best of their ability. Divorce can be stressful and complex and in many situations there are a number of decisions and agreements to be made before everything is resolved.
It’s all the more important if there are complex assets or issues to sort out and certainly a divorce lawyer is needed when children are involved. At Forster Dean, you get access to a supportive and understanding team who put your interests first and explain everything in plain language. Contact us today to find out how we can help.
