When two people decide to cohabit, it is often an exciting, happy time – and chances are you don’t want to think about what might go wrong.

You should however consider that even where your partner will not be an owner of the property there can be circumstances in which she/he could become entitled to a financial interest in it.

A non-owner of a property can gain a financial interest by proving that the owner said or did things to make them believe that there was a common intention to share the property and they then subsequently relied on that common intention in a way that was to their detriment.

In most instances when a relationship breaks down evidence of what was done or said is unclear. That uncertainty can sometimes result in Court proceedings, which are usually expensive and time consuming to resolve.

There are steps that you can take to try and protect against any future potential disputes and in this respect we may recommend entering into a Cohabitation Agreement with your partner. This will provide you both with certainty about your rights and responsibilities and it can also regulate other aspects of living together such as responsibility for joint living expenses, entitlement to share furniture, ownership of motor vehicles and liability for debts incurred during the relationship. 

Our Family Law Team at mosshaselhurst Solicitors are experts on cohabitation and can meet with you to discuss your requirements and the options available. Please contact us at reception@mosshaselhurst.co.uk or telephone the office on 01606 74301 for assistance.