Consent Order Review: Get Your Draft Checked Before You Sign
Been sent a draft consent order by your ex or their solicitor? For a fixed fee of £399, a family law solicitor will go through it with you, explain every clause in plain English and flag anything that could cost you later or cause problems with the court.
Get Your Consent Order Reviewed
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Consent order review at a glance
- Price: £399 fixed fee, including VAT.
- Who it’s for: anyone in England or Wales who has been asked to sign a draft financial consent order prepared by their ex or their ex’s solicitor.
- What’s reviewed: your draft consent order, the D81 statement of information and any supporting documents.
- How it works: a one-to-one appointment with a solicitor by phone or video.
- Not included: advice on whether you personally should accept the settlement, which needs a full review of both parties’ finances.
Why get a draft consent order reviewed before you sign?
A financial consent order is a legally binding court order that sets out how you and your ex will divide money, property, pensions and other assets after divorce. Once a judge approves it, it is very hard to change or undo. In most cases it can only be challenged in limited circumstances, for example if one of you did not give full financial disclosure.
If the order was drafted by your ex’s solicitor, it was written to protect their client, not you, and their solicitor cannot advise you as well. Many orders also include a clean break, which usually ends either party’s right to make future financial claims against the other, so you need to understand exactly what you are giving up before you sign.
Our consent order review gives you independent legal advice on what the order means for your future finances and whether it is likely to be approved by the court.
What your solicitor will check
Your solicitor will give you legal advice on:
- What the draft consent order means for you in financial terms, now and in the future.
- What every clause in the order means, explained in plain English.
- Whether there has been full financial disclosure.
- Whether the D81 form has been completed correctly.
- Whether the order includes a clean break, and what that means for future claims.
- What other documents are needed, such as a pension sharing annex, and how to get them ready.
- How the order will be put into effect once everything is agreed, and the likely timings.
- Whether, on the face of it, the order is likely to have difficulty being approved by the court.
What the review does not cover
Your solicitor will not be able to tell you whether you should personally accept the settlement in the consent order. To do that, they would need to see all of your and your ex’s financial paperwork first.
If you would like that level of advice, ask your solicitor about the cost, or see our full service consent order.
How much does a consent order review cost?
The review is a fixed fee of £399 including VAT. We have kept the cost as low as possible: if you instructed one of our lawyers outside this service, you would pay on average £264 per hour (including VAT), so an appointment like this would typically cost around £528.
How the consent order review works
- Order online and your solicitor will send you their terms and conditions.
- Verify your ID electronically.
- Send your draft consent order and D81 to your solicitor.
- Book an appointment by phone or video at a time that suits you.
- Receive a legal advice certificate, if one is required.
Consent order review FAQs
Should I sign a consent order without legal advice?
You are not legally required to take advice, but it is strongly recommended. Once the court approves a consent order it is legally binding and difficult to change, so you should understand its full effect before you sign. Read more in do I need a solicitor for a consent order?
Can my ex’s solicitor advise me on the consent order?
No. A solicitor acting for your ex has a duty to their client and cannot advise you as well. You need your own independent advice.
What is a D81 form?
The D81 is the statement of information for a consent order. It gives the court a summary of each party’s finances so a judge can check the proposed settlement is reasonable. Find out more about the D81 form.
Can a consent order be changed after it has been approved?
Only in limited circumstances, such as a failure to disclose important financial information, fraud or misrepresentation. Some terms, such as ongoing spousal maintenance, can be varied later. This is why it is important to get it right before you sign.
Will the solicitor tell me if the settlement is fair?
Not as part of this fixed-fee review. Your solicitor will explain what the order means and whether it is likely to be approved, but advising on whether the split is right for you requires a full review of both parties’ finances.
Consent Order Review Service – £399 Fixed Fee
Get independent advice from a family law solicitor on the draft consent order you have been asked to sign, before it becomes legally binding.