Exactly, it sounds like he's got stung on high interest rates when buying/remortgaging and I just suggested he looks into that as if he can get a lower rate he maybe better off.
Get out of there as soon as possible dude. It's not worth the demand on family life, I took about a 20k pay cut, never looked back and couldn't be happier with the decision.
I seen something on those payday loads, it was a few years ago so the details are a little off but it was something like if you took out £200 and didn't pay it back for 5 years it would accumulate to be more than the national debt of America.