Your browser is out of date or unsupported. As a result, some elements of this website may not be fully functional. For the best possible user experience, it is recommended that you use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox or Microsoft Edge.
TV Edwards Solicitors Logo
Call us on: 020 3440 8000
  • About Us
    • Whitechapel Office
    • Clapham Junction Office
    • What Our Clients Say
    • Cybercrime and Fraud Warning
    • Pricing
    • Make a Secure Payment
  • Services
    • You & Your Family You & Your Family
      • Family and Children Law
      • Wills and Probate
      • Personal Injury
      • Dispute Resolution
      • Mental Health
      • Court of Protection
      • Community Care
      • Criminal Defence
    • You & Your Property You & Your Property
      • Residential Property
      • Property Disputes
      • Housing
    • You & Your Business You & Your Business
      • Commercial Property
      • Commercial Litigation
      • Business Crime and Fraud
      • Alcohol & Entertainment Licensing
    • _
  • Our People
    • Partners and Management Team
    • Family and Children
    • Property
    • Wills and Probate
    • Court of Protection
    • Criminal Defence
    • Dispute Resolution
    • Personal Injury
    • Alcohol and Entertainment Licensing
    • Mental Health
    • Community Care
    • Housing
  • News and Blogs
  • Careers
TV Edwards Solicitors Logo
  • You & Your Family
    • Family and Children Law
    • Wills and Probate
    • Personal Injury
    • Dispute Resolution
    • Mental Health
    • Court of Protection
    • Community Care
    • Criminal Defence
  • You & Your Property
    • Residential Property
    • Property Disputes
    • Housing
  • You & Your Business
    • Commercial Property
    • Commercial Litigation
    • Business Crime and Fraud
    • Alcohol & Entertainment Licensing
  • About Us
    • Whitechapel Office
    • Clapham Junction Office
    • What Our Clients Say
    • Pricing
    • Make a Secure Payment
  • Our People
    • Community Care
    • Court of Protection
    • Criminal Defence
    • Dispute Resolution
    • Family and Children
    • Housing
    • Alcohol and Entertainment Licensing
    • Mental Health
    • Partners and Management Team
    • Personal Injury
    • Wills and Probate
    • Property
    • Support Team
  • News and Blogs
  • Careers
Call us on: 020 3440 8000
×
  • Divorce
    • Divorce process
    • Finances
    • Civil partnerships
    • Child arrangements
  • Children
    • Child arrangements
    • Social services
    • Adoption
    • Special guardianship
    • Relocation
    • Abduction
  • Modern Parenting
    • Surrogacy
    • Fertility
    • Donor conception
    • Co-parenting
    • Adoption
  • Unmarried couples
    • Pre nups, post nups and pre partnership agreements
    • Cohabitation agreements
    • Separation
    • Finances for children
  • Domestic abuse
    • Domestic abuse
    • Forced marriage
    • FGM
×

Start typing to search.

    ×
    TV Edwards Solicitors Logo

    020 3440 8000

    enquiries@tvedwards.com

    Find us at Whitechapel and Clapham Junction

    Contact Us

    Please enter your first name(s).
    Please enter your surname.
    Please enter a valid email address.
    Please enter your contact number.
    Please select an option.
    Please enter a message.

    We’ll only use this information to handle your enquiry and we won’t share it with any third parties. For more details see our Privacy Policy.

    TV EDWARDS SOLICITORS LLP

    Types of relationship agreements – Cohabitation agreement

    As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic many couples have found their home circumstances have changed. From couples who moved...

    Two Women moving house

    Back to News & Blogs 28th October 2020

    Comment Icon
    TV Edwards Blog
    Blog Family Family Finances

    As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic many couples have found their home circumstances have changed. From couples who moved in together so that they could quarantine together, to couples who have had to postpone their weddings or civil partnerships, to couples who have decided to separate and are remaining living together or are no longer living together.

    For all of these couples it is important that they are aware of their legal rights and how these can change at different stages of their relationship. This is the first of four articles which will look at the different types of relationship agreements and when and why you might need them.

    Cohabitation agreement

    Cohabiting couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples especially when it comes to property ownership, pension rights and maintenance payments. It is possible for a couple to live together for many years and even have children together and then one person to walk away without any legal responsibility to their former partner when the relationship breakdowns. This is especially problematic if the property or assets are held in that person’s sole name or if one person had a higher salary whilst the other took time off to care for children.

    Many people believe that after a number of years living together they will be in a ‘common law marriage’, however, this is not correct and there is a need for all cohabiting couples to be aware of their legal rights and if necessary take steps to protect themselves and their children.

    Whilst the difference in legal rights between cohabiting and married couples may only really be felt during the breakdown of a relationship, it is important for all cohabitees to think ahead and make sure that they are not left financially vulnerable or facing lengthy and costly court proceedings in the event of a future separation.

    A cohabitation agreement records the agreement between two or more people who have agreed to live together, as a couple or otherwise. It records their rights in relation to the property where they live or intend to live together and the financial arrangements between them, both during and following cohabitation and the arrangements to be made if they decide that they no longer want to live together. It can also record what would happen if one person were to pass away during the cohabitation.

    Cohabitation agreements are usually entered into by couples who have decided to live together but have decided not to marry or enter into a civil partnership or are not sure yet. They can also be used by people who have decided to purchase a property to live in together whether they are in a relationship or not. It is advisable for such an agreement to be drawn up before you cohabit, but it can be drawn up at any time after you have started living together.

    Some advantages of entering into a cohabitation agreement are:

    1. They clearly set out each person’s legal entitlement, rights and responsibilities during and after the cohabitation and avoid the risk of conflict about finances when living together;

    2. They give you flexibility and freedom to organise your finances as you wish;

    3. They can make the end of a relationship easier and less stressful and reduce the risk of falling out over financial matters;

    4. They avoid the cost and uncertainty of court proceedings and make sorting out your financial affairs faster and cheaper;

    5. They can protect your future and your children’s future if you have been reliant on a partner for financial support;

    6. They can preserve family assets and allow parties to safeguard their own financial security and protect future inheritance for children.

    Our Family Finance team has accredited family law specialists with many years of experience advising cohabitees including issues relating to finances and children. If you would like advice about cohabitation please contact us on 020 3440 8000.

    Related Services:

    Family Law
    Family Finances

    More Articles

    Article Image

    Wilkins v Serco

    26th January 2023
    Article Image

    The top five things you need to know about deputyship

    12th January 2023
    Article Image

    Life as a trainee solicitor at TV Edwards LLP

    9th January 2023
    Article Image

    Updates to the police bail regime – how long can I be kept on police bail?

    6th January 2023
    Article Image

    When couples separate, what are the legalities around future use of their frozen embryos?

    14th December 2022
    Article Image

    How is Litigation Akin to the Game of Chess?

    14th December 2022
    All Articles 

    Contact Us

    Call: 020 3440 8000|View our Whitechapel Office|View our Clapham Junction Office

    Cyber Essentials Accreditation Logo
    Lexcel Logo
    The Legal 500 – The Clients Guide to Law Firms
    Chambers 2021 Logo

    © 2023 TV Edwards LLP is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (465533) and is a Limited Liability Partnership registered in England and Wales number 0C325696. Details of the SRA Code of Conduct can be found at sra.org.uk. Registered name: TV Edwards LLP. Registered Office: 35-37 Mile End Road, London, E1 4TP.

    TV Edwards Solicitors Logo

    Contact Us

    Call us on: 020 3440 8000

    View our Whitechapel office

    View our Clapham Junction office


    • Quick Links
      • Pricing
      • Pay Online
      • Careers with TV Edwards
    • Insights
      • Blogs
    • Regulatory
      • Legal Disclaimer
      • Terms of Business
      • Accessibility
      • Privacy Policy – Website Users
      • Privacy Policy – General
      • Cookies
      • Complaints Procedure

    Find us on:


    TV Edwards Solicitors Logo
    • Divorce
    • Children
    • Modern Parenting
    • Unmarried couples
    • Domestic abuse
    © 2022 TV Edwards LLP is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (465533) and is a Limited Liability Partnership registered in England and Wales number 0C325696. Details of the SRA Code of Conduct can be found at sra.org.uk. Registered name: TV Edwards LLP. Registered Office: 35-37 Mile End Road, London, E1 4TP.
    Use of Cookies

    Our website requires the use of cookies. Enabling all cookies makes sure the website works as smoothly as possible, and also helps us to improve it. Some cookies are activated by default but tracking cookies aren't switched on without your consent.

    For our full policy, visit our cookies page.


    Using this tool will set a cookie on your device to remember your preferences.

    Necessary

    Necessary cookies enable core functionality of the website, including security, SRA Regulationand reCAPTCHA form verifications. It is possible to disable these cookies in your browser settings, but this could affect the functionality of the website.


    Recommended
    Off On

    Recommended cookies improve your experience of our site by helping to display our latest client reviews and embedded maps of our office locations. You can find full details on Google's privacy policy here.


    Analytics
    Off On

    We'd like to use analytics services provided by Google Analytics, Microsoft Clarity and Ruler Analytics to collect anonymous information from our visitors. The data we collect will help us to improve our website and services. Learn more about how we use these services and our commitment to safeguarding data in our Cookie Policy.

    Settings Save & Close