When I was divorced three years ago I forgot to close a joint bank account. I’ve now discovered my husband has run up a £5,000 overdraft and the bank is asking me to pay it off. Can that be right?
From a legal point of view you have a “joint and several” liability where shared bank accounts or mortgages are concerned. This means that the lender can pursue either one of you or both for any money owed. In practice the bank will go after whoever seems most likely to pay. It may be worth asking the Citizens Advice Bureau for help with any correspondence. If you do have to pay up, you could pursue your ex-husband for the money as long as no final order has been made regarding your finances.