Swindon, United Kingdom – Divorce statistics usually peak during recession but so far in the last twelve months, the rate seems to have remained constant. According to statistics issued recently by the Ministry of Justice for the first three months in 2009, the total number of divorces was 32,100, compared to 32,255 for the same period in 2007. However, the shape of the market is changing. Regarding the ‘Litigants in Person’ sector, www.DivorceOnline.co.uk has seen its market share rise from 8% in 2007 to 25% in 2009; representing one in four of today’s UK DIY divorces. This is equivalent to one in 20 or 5% of all divorces for the first quarter of 2009.
Back in 2006, DivorceOnline’s share of the total divorce market was 1.92% rising to 3.5% in 2007. There could be several reasons behind this shift. It is a well-documented fact that more people have home computers and internet usage is more widespread. People even get counselling by email these days. However, Managing Director Mark Keenan has his own theory. He says ‘I think the growth in cost-comparison websites has made people think twice before spending money on anything. Divorcing couples are looking for more affordable and cost-effective solutions, and the big difference between www.DivorceOnline.co.uk and traditional divorces using solicitors, is that our costs are clearly outlined upfront.’
The company’s low cost Do-It-Yourself divorce options are £68 for a DIY pack or £182 for their managed divorce service (excluding court fees). Mark illustrates the advantages by adding ‘A typical divorce can be very bitter as every element of the agreement is disputed by both parties, so legal costs can easily spiral out of control. Some solicitors’ bills run into tens of thousands of pounds. When a couple decides there is no chance of reconciliation, we offer a responsible way of minimising further debt. The simplified online process often takes the sting and emotional battle out of the divorce. Provided both parties are in basic agreement over the financial settlement and it is a ‘no-contest divorce’, www.DivorceOnline.co.uk offers an ideal solution.’
The average length of time for a divorce to be completed is now sixteen to eighteen weeks. According to recent Divorce-Online client, Saskia Wiriadidjaja from London aged 30, ‘I married for life, but it just did not work out and if divorce is the only solution, then I would recommend DivorceOnline.co.uk. It was much quicker than I anticipated and far less painful financially than using traditional solicitors who were quoting silly money’.
Mark Keenan’s team often also works hard to make sure www.DivorceOnline.co.uk achieves good search engine rankings and regularly works with the media to build its profile. These tools added to increasing word of mouth publicity have inevitably helped company growth. If you would like further details of their services call +44 (0) 870 6260419 or email enquiries@divorce-online.co.uk
Clients love the money-saving principle and Mark has realised his dream of running profitable online businesses by harnessing technology to simplify legal paperwork processes. In 1999 he recognised the opportunity to provide uncontested divorce services via the internet when there were no services of this nature in the UK. Mark plans to further improve customer service by introducing a streamlined case management system, making it easier for clients to track the progress of their own divorce proceedings through the courts. Having successfully challenged bricks and mortar companies in the UK, DivorceOnline’s growth plans include opening operational offices in the USA and Europe, catering for different divorce laws in those countries.
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Divorce statistics of 2007 versus 2006
Between 2006 and 2007, the provisional number of divorces granted in the UK fell by 2.6 per cent to 144,220, from 148,141. This is the third consecutive fall in the number of UK divorces and the lowest number since 1977 (138,445). The figure is 20 per cent lower than the highest number of divorces, which peaked in 1993 (180,018).
Weblinks
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=170
Case Studies – more detail available upon request: -
Saskia Wiriadidjaja, London. Aged 30.
Editor’s note – Saskia is photogenic and appeared on ‘The One Show’ talking about Divorce Online
Divorced after 3 years of marriage. Saskia married young to a pianist and grew apart from her husband when she realised she preferred the security of a 9 to 5 job in an investment bank with its regular income. She had not appreciated the single-mindedness of career musicians when she married, and says she lost the original shared dream to travel the world together in pursuit of his career goals.
She says, ‘I married for life, but it just did not work out and if divorce is the only solution, then I would recommend DivorceOnline.co.uk. It was much quicker than I anticipated and far less painful financially than using traditional solicitors who were quoting silly money’.
Seventy four year old Elizabeth Mills - North Yorks. Divorced after 45 years of marriage. A farmer’s wife with four grown children, Elizabeth had moved with her husband to France because of his ultimatum. Then she wanted to return to Britain and found the legal issues were complex until she contacted DivorceOnline.
She says ‘They made it all so straightforward. I would recommend it to anybody as long as it’s not too complicated, or if they have been to mediation and agreed all the issues. We had already split our joint bank accounts and the only joint assets were the house in France and cottage in England. But I really think everybody should know how easily divorce paperwork can be processed through DivorceOnline.’
Jean X, Fareham, Hampshire – A former policewoman (now retired), Jean was on her second marriage to a Petty Officer from the Royal Navy who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease just 15 months after they married. She loyally stuck by him for 10 years until out of the blue, he announced he was bisexual. Apparently he had had several male partners during their marriage. She was devastated and thinks it may have been easier to cope with if he had had an affair with a woman.
She represented herself in her first divorce but chose Divorce Online to help with her second divorce and says ‘DivorceOnline is wonderful. Being a policewoman, I am more familiar with court procedures so I handled my own divorce paperwork the first time. It felt quite easy then, but using DivorceOnline the second time was fantastic because they were so helpful. I would recommend them to anybody’.
Permissions & details for case studies on men using this service are being sourced from:
Martin Woodworth - Ashby De La Zouch - Leicestershire
Mark Hoyland - Coalford leics
Company Information.
The umbrella brand of Online Legal Services based in Swindon now employs eleven staff with an annual turnover estimated at £750,000 for 2009. Steady growth has seen turnover rise steadily each year with £602,000 for 2008, £497,000 for 2007 and £316,284 for 2006.
Company History
In 1999, Mark Keenan was a trained Paralegal divorce expert with an interest in computers. Having observed other traditional bricks and mortar businesses being challenged by online ventures, he created a website and began working from his spare room in his spare time. Having proven the concept, he shared his idea of online divorce applications with Senior Partners at the firm he worked for. Convinced his idea would never catch on, they failed to recognise the opportunity.
Undeterred, Mark joined thousands of entrepreneurs hunting for finance in 2000. As the renowned ‘dot.com’ crash occurred, investors deliberately avoided online companies. Mark sought business advice from government agencies but advisors tried to convince him that his company would never succeed.
Low-Cost, High-Volume Business Model
However, Mark persevered and found a business angel to invest and mentor him. Divorce-Online developed a low-cost, high-volume business model in the legal market traditionally dominated by High Street Solicitors. Their high overheads and hourly rate model cannot compete with the commoditised packaged service offered by Divorce-Online.
The result is an award-winning business which has dealt with over 60,000 sets of divorce proceedings since 2000, helping 120,000 clients achieve their goal of an amicable and cost effective divorce.
2007 Wiltshire Business of the Year Award
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