Theresa - you asked for advice and you got it - just because you don't happen to like it ................!(posted 7300 days ago)By all means, dig your heels in if you want - but this can have an adverse effect. If the Halifax and their solicitors feel they have a sound case and can justify all of the £17k, they will pursue you if, having investigated your assets/income by whatever means they can, they think you can pay. The ones you see settling for lesser sums are either shaky cases, unemployed, terminally ill, people who do not now own their own home etc.
Halifax can easily find out if the house you now live in is yours or not as they can do an online search of the land registry for £2 (as can anybody - all you need is a credit card and the address and a computer connected to the internet)
You have wisely asked for people who have settled up on smaller sums to post comments - I hope they do and I hope some of them identify themselves as former Halifax mortgagors so you can get a feel of how tough or easy they are on shortfalls.
Best of luck anyway.