According to a report from the Telegraph, divorcing couples are racking up huge legal bills trying to get their hands on increasingly unusual things, such as smoked salmon, a frying pan, and in one case a suit of armour.
Ex-husbands and wives are going to war, trying to ensure they get their hands on every last item they can, either because they want them or just out of spite.
In one case, a divorcing couple in Manchester, ran up a bill of more than £2,000 arguing over a set of bed linen. Other lawyers have reported legal battles over a suit of armour, dustbins in the shape of famous cartoon characters, and even a jar of mustard.
It seems that the days of people parting amicably and simply dividing their possessions, are now long gone. Increasingly, feuding couples will stop at nothing to grab whatever possessions they can out of a failing marriage.
Research showed that 20 per cent of divorces were affected by rows over inexpensive possessions. The research found that even seven-figure separations could be delayed over disputes about items worth no more than a few pounds. Some former husbands and wives were prepared to run up significant legal bills to win “custody” of seemingly trivial items such as CDs, books, cutlery, vacuum cleaners and even Tesco Clubcard points.
Some couples seem to fight simply for the sake of fighting. The amount spent on legal costs arguing about these items can be many times more than their value, but some would rather pay these costs to prove a point to their ex-spouses. You would be surprised at how some couples, who can split pretty sizeable assets without issue, are willing to waste thousands of pounds on the smallest or oddest possession.
The key is to keep a cool head and remove all emotions by looking at your divorce as a business deal. By doing it this way, emotions won’t cloud judgement and decisions will be reached quicker. Unfortunately, few people do this, and it can quickly become a battle for ownership over items that are unimportant when compared with financial security and the welfare of your children.
