Cohabitation Issues

Couples are increasingly choosing to live together without getting married, however, many misconceptions exist in relation to the status and financial implications of the relationship.

There is no such thing as a "common law marriage". Even if you have lived together for many years, or have children together, there is no special status afforded to your relationship. This means that should the relationship break down you would be reliant on trust and property law to determine your respective financial positions.

We have extensive expertise in negotiating settlements in relation to property and jointly held assets on relationship breakdown. We are equally experienced in making applications to the court to determine respective parties' interests.

We also encourage people to approach us at the beginning of a relationship and consider the merits of cohabitation agreements (see below). Understanding the position at the outset and taking simple precautionary measures can prevent significant problems later on.

Contact a member of the team direct for further information.