Handing keys back to Mortgage lender?

It isn't just a simple matter of giving them the keys. Go and talk to your mortgage lender, you might be able to change the terms of the mortgage to tide you over until you sell the house. If you are not living in the house then the utility bills should be very low and the council tax rate will be reduced.

If the house and bills are in your name - this is a bad idea. All bills and mortgage will still have to be paid until the lender actually sell the property which can take months / years.The lender will also sell the property at any price and you will have to make up the shortfall. The billing companies and lender will chase you forever or until you pay it off (unless you go bankrupt).

You could try asking your lender to go interest free on the mortgage - this may help the payments come down a bit. Or you could rent out the property. Some money is better than no money

If they property is in your ex's name don't worry about it as all the debt will fall on to him.

Speak to a solicitor as well to see where you stand. When my parents split up, my dad had to leave the house and still pay all the bills as this is what he was doing when they were together and my mum was just paying for the shopping. So my mum was living mortgage free and bill free. And eventually when the house got sold - due to potential earnings of my dad were a lot higher than my mum's the house profits were split like 30/70 in favor of my mum

Don't hand them back yet, if u do and put the house on the market they will end upp selling it for a lot less than its value. Look into the Renting the house out, be much better in the end, even get an agency to do it for you.

Please be aware that if the mortgage lender sells the house for less than your outstanding balance you will still be responsible for the difference