I want to say that it's all a load of bollocks, but what if. He had bought the house with a previous partner, she'd been basically paying the mortgage whilst they'd been together, and now they've split he's still in his house and she's got nothing.... Guess she should have put her name on the mortgage, but there you go. I kind of think that married or not, if there are no kids involved, both parties should go their own way, split the home / belongings, and have done.