Unmarried Couples

Protect Yourself Financially

With more and more couples living together it has never been so important to protect yourself financially and there are a number of ways this can be achieved, either before cohabitation or upon a separation.

As an overview, we provide specialist advice for legal rights for unmarried couples in respect of the following areas:

• When you buy a house – protecting your share or defining your respective interests. A document known as a Deed or Declaration of Trust can be prepared.
• When you cohabit – protecting an existing property share or interests in property.
• Cohabitation Agreements – to protect both parties when you start living together.
• If you separate – pursuing a financial interest in a property. This can be achieved even if the property is not held in joint names, subject to your circumstances.
• Separation Agreements – to formalise and implement your financial settlement/agreement.
• Children Act Claims – we represent both Mothers or Fathers either pursuing or defending claims or proceedings made on behalf of children for property and/or lump sum claims. In particular, property claims are very common especially when the parents are not married. There are more people pursuing such claims than you may imagine.

Common Law Rights

Unmarried couples, cohabitants and partners (including the so called common law husband or common law wife) generally make claims in respect of property (although other claims are sustainable). We provide specialist advice in all areas of common law rights. We have highly trained and experienced Solicitors, Lawyers and Legal Executives who will be able to guide and advise you.

Cohabitation Agreements

In the circumstances whether you are at the beginning of your relationship and wishing to cohabit, or if you are at the point you decide to separate, it is advisable to consult with us to protect your position both at the outset and certainly, if you have entered into a cohabitation agreement or defined your respective shares in the property, at the end of your relationship to ensure your settlement is appropriate, fair and binding. We are able to negotiate on your behalf in the hope of achieving a swift, cost effective settlement. Again we will give full advice in respect of mediation services (ADR) – and try to avoid Court proceedings if at all possible, keeping costs to a minimum.

We always offer pragmatic, cost effective advice and adopt an amicable yet robust approach, to ensure costs are kept to a minimum whilst providing you with the very best advice.

Free Appointment

Our Family Department offers a free 30 minute appointment to all clients.

At that appointment we will discuss and review your circumstances and give you preliminary legal advice.

We will also review with you, in general terms, your options in respect of the divorce, finances or children matters and also provide a cost estimate.