- Repossession was paused after £34,700 in arrears built up.
- The survivor spent more than two years fighting probate delays.
- The mortgage has now been paid off after years of legal battles.
A repossession case involving Halifax mortgage repossession and a domestic abuse survivor has been paused after a woman faced losing her home following a fire set by her husband in 2022. The situation has drawn attention to how legal and financial systems can leave survivors navigating complex barriers long after abusive relationships end.
Francesca Onody, 53, had built up £34,700 in mortgage arrears and legal costs on the property after her husband, Malcolm Baker, set fire to their cottage as police arrived to arrest him. Baker, a former Metropolitan Police superintendent, died in the blaze after reportedly dousing the building with petrol.
Halifax had obtained a repossession order covering the land where Onody and her children had been living in a caravan since the fire destroyed their home. Proceedings were later suspended after media intervention, and the lender cancelled interest and fees that had accumulated during her attempts to secure probate.
Years in legal limbo
Onody spent 28 months challenging Baker’s will under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act before being appointed personal representative of the estate in February 2025. During that period, she was unable to discuss the mortgage with the lender because she was not named in probate documents, leaving her unable to sell the land or begin rebuilding.
The property deeds and mortgage had been in Baker’s sole name. Reports note that before his death he had emptied joint bank accounts and cancelled mortgage protection and buildings insurance.
An inquest heard Baker had struggled with mental health issues after retiring from the Metropolitan Police in 2011 and had been a heavy drinker, as quoted in a news report. Halifax has since agreed to transfer the mortgage into Onody’s name once the deeds are formally amended to reflect her ownership. The bank also paid her £500 after acknowledging that a staff member mistakenly worked on a mortgage application in February 2024.
Onody paid off the mortgage and took possession of the land, more than three years after the fire. She had been living in a caravan without heating or running water beside the remains of the cottage.
A domestic homicide review by the Home Office initially examined whether Baker had been the abuse victim, but the department later apologised to Onody and acknowledged that he was the perpetrator, saying the investigation had “continued the dynamics of abuse,” as quoted in a news report.
The case was also marked by delays at the Probate Office and the Land Registry, leaving her in legal uncertainty for months. She had to fund legal representation at the inquest and pursue challenges with banks and insurers while trying to secure control of the estate.
The episode is likely to add to ongoing discussions about the financial vulnerability of abuse survivors and whether existing legal processes provide adequate protection during already traumatic circumstances.
