“Our client is looking for [rented] properties in the North, North West and Central London areas. Accordingly, we enclose property particulars for three properties in the St John’s Wood area in relation to which our client is arranging urgent viewings, as examples of the types of properties that she hopes will be suitable to meet her and [A’s] interim housing needs. These properties, that are up to a 55% reduction in square footage to their current home, are an average of c.£1,925 per month to rent, given London prices. As our client is going to have to make immediate enquiries to seek to view and secure a property on this basis, your client having prematurely served notice on her current home, please confirm that your client will agree to cover her rent at this level and the deposit required.”
“needs are still assessed primarily by reference to the marital standard of living”
“It is a mistake to regard the marital standard of living as the lodestar. As time passes how the parties lived in the marriage becomes increasingly irrelevant. And too much emphasis on it imperils the prospects of eventual independence.”
“[137] …[T]here has to be some sort of rationale for the redistribution of resources from one party to another….. [138] The most common rationale is that the relationship has generated needs which it is right that the other party should meet…. This is a perfectly sound rationale where the needs are the consequence of the parties’ relationship, as they usually are. The most common source of need is the presence of children …. Many parents have seriously compromised their ability to attain self-sufficiency as a result of past family responsibilities … A further source of need may be the way in which parties chose to run their life together … All couples throughout their lives together have to make choices about who will do what … sometimes freely made in the interests of them both. The needs generated by such choices are a perfectly sound rationale for adjusting the parties’ respective resources in compensation.”
“56. Mr Marks lays stress upon the respective ages of the parties and the likelihood that the wife will survive the husband by many years. In any event, even if the husband is blessed with a long life, his earning capacity must ultimately diminish and the level of maintenance reduce, probably during the dependence still of one or both of the children. Mr Marks submits that, as well as meeting her annual needs, payments must also be made to the wife to enable her (in his words) to “stockpile”
“… A luxury detached four bedroom, two bathroom family house (over 2000 Sq Ft) that has been newly refurbished throughout, located in this most sought after road. The property which has just gone through a complete renovation comprises four double bedrooms, the master with an en suite bathroom, spacious family bathroom, a huge 38’x25’ open plan living space open to a stunning fully fitted kitchen, a utility space, a large entrance hallway, a separate sitting room and a delightful rear garden with patio measuring circa 86’ with a covered decking sitting area. To the front there is off-street parking for at least three cars.”