Sounds like your friend's husband has a long and windy road ahead of him as he seems to have no clue himself how things are working. First of all, he cannot sell the house without her consent. Both have to agree and if they can't agree a Court will decide for them. What I heard from people who went down this road is that the house can be sold once the youngest child ceases to be dependent. That can be with 18, 21, 23. I think 23 is the max.age. So your friend shouldn't worry too much right now but in her own interest, get her finances together to get a realistic overview what's there and what's not there, what she can and cannot afford, what state support she can avail of etc. She should also look into Mediation (which is a free service) as the solicitor/ court route is a very expensive one!