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Can I get a new joint mortgage even though I’m still on the joint one with my ex wife?

Answered on 10 March 2026

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I am now divorced and have a child with my ex wife. She now lives in the old marital home of which we have a mortgage on in joint names. I now live with my new partner and we want to buy together. Can I still do that if I have a joint mortgage with my ex wife?

Answered by: Nicholas Mendes

Getting a second joint mortgage with a new partner

Yes, it’s usually possible to take a new joint mortgage with your new partner even if you’re still named on the mortgage with your ex-wife. The practical issue is affordability, and how different lenders treat the existing mortgage and any child maintenance.

Why it’s still possible

Being on an existing joint mortgage doesn’t automatically prevent you from buying again. Lenders will look at your overall position and decide whether you can afford the new borrowing alongside your existing commitments.

What lenders will focus on

Most of the underwriting comes down to three areas:

1) The existing mortgage on the former marital home

Some lenders treat the monthly payment as a straight commitment. Others take a more cautious view and assume you’re responsible for the full payment unless there’s evidence your ex is covering it.

2) Child maintenance and other regular commitments

Maintenance is usually treated as a committed outgoing, which reduces your disposable income and borrowing capacity.

3) Your legal and financial link to the property

Lenders will want to understand the ownership split, whether there’s a formal agreement in place, and whether you remain liable for the mortgage in practice as well as on paper.

What helps your case

A few things can make a material difference:

  • A formal agreement (for example, a consent order) setting out who pays what and who lives in the property
  • Clear evidence of the mortgage being paid from your ex-wife’s account (if that’s the arrangement)
  • A clean payment history on the existing mortgage
  • A realistic plan for how and when you will be removed from the existing mortgage, if that’s the longer-term intention

The more clearly you can show the lender that the existing mortgage is being serviced reliably, the easier it is to place.

The main watch-out

Even if your ex-wife pays the mortgage, you’re still legally responsible while your name is on it. That can matter if circumstances change, and it’s why lenders can be conservative when assessing affordability.

It also means you should be careful about stretching borrowing too far, because you may be carrying more risk than it looks like on paper.

What to do next

Start by getting a clear picture of your current commitments, including the existing mortgage payment and any maintenance. Then run affordability with a broker across a range of lenders, because treatment varies and manual underwriting can help where the situation is well evidenced.

If you’d like, share the rough outstanding balance and monthly payment on the existing mortgage, whether your ex pays it entirely, and your new purchase budget. I can tighten this further and add the most relevant lender-style “evidence list” for the page.

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Ask The Mortgage Experts answers are based on the information provided and do not constitute advice under the Financial Services & Markets Act. They reflect the personal views of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views, positions, strategies or opinions of John Charcol. All comments are made in good faith, and John Charcol will not accept liability for them. We recommend you seek professional advice with regard to any of these topics where appropriate.

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