Cohabitation Agreement Solicitors

They are simply excellent in their dynamic approach to family litigation, balancing tenaciousness with the sensitivity required in family law.

The Legal 500, 2023

If you are planning to move in with your partner, but do not currently have plans to get married, we can help you put a Cohabitation Agreement in place that makes it clear what each of your financial responsibilities are.

Your Cohabitation Agreement can cover a range of issues, including:

Who pays what share of the rent or mortgage
Who is responsible for paying which bills
How you plan on using a shared bank account
Who is responsible for any debts you incur while living together

Cohabitation Agreements can set out the financial terms of your relationship in a clear and transparent way, potentially preventing these issues from causing problems in the future. If you have personal assets you want to protect, such as investments, property or assets overseas, a Cohabitation Agreement can help you to keep them safe.

The best time to put a Cohabitation Agreement in place is before moving in together, but if you're already living with your partner, you can still set one up - maybe you want to formalise things now you're more settled, or maybe your circumstances have changed and now you want that extra peace of mind.

We're recognised by independent legal guides Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500 as one of the country's leading family law firms. Having spent decades representing couples in all aspects of family law - including high net-worth cases that successfully challenged and changed the law - we're ideally placed to help you get the protections you want in your relationship.

We are a national law firm that offers a personal, one-to-one service, giving you all the information you need in a clear and transparent way, without using jargon. If you want further guidance on whether a Cohabitation Agreement could work for you and how we can help, please call us on 0370 1500 100, or contact us online and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.

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Ros Bever National Head of Family Law Meet the team

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Cohabitation Agreements - More Information

"Ros Bever is an excellent lawyer who is passionate about getting things right."

Chambers & Partners, 2019

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is A Cohabitation Agreement And Who Should Consider One?

A Cohabitation Agreement sets out terms on how you and your partner will share finances, childcare and other important things during your period of living together. If the relationship ever breaks down, it can be used to inform how you separate shared finances and assets.

Cohabitation Agreements can cover a range of issues, including:

The repayment of your mortgage and how this is affected by factors including incapacity, lack of employment or if one of you unexpectedly comes into a sum of money
Who is responsible for bills and debts
Financial support during or after your relationship
The division of money and personal possessions
Child support, custody and access rights

If you are planning on moving in with your partner, or are already living with them but are not married, then a Cohabitation Agreement could be useful. By making your financial responsibilities clear from the start, you may be able to prevent these issues from causing disagreements in the future.

You can revisit a Cohabitation Agreement at any time during your relationship, making changes to existing terms or adding new ones. This should provide you and your partner with peace of mind should anything change in the relationship, such as having children.

We have decades of experience in family law, providing a clear and transparent one-on-one service to our clients. It has prompted independent legal guides Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500 to name us one of the UK's leading family law firms.

If you think we can help you set out a Cohabitation Agreement with your partner, call us on 0370 1500 100 or contact us online and we'll get back to you as quickly as possible.

What Happens If We Later Get Married?

If you decide to get married, you and your partner will enjoy the extra legal rights applied to married couples, and the Cohabitation Agreement will no longer apply. However, the original Cohabitation Agreement could be used as evidence of what you and your partner wanted from your financial situation, should the marriage later break down without you being able to reach an amicable financial settlement.

We have years of experience dealing with family law, covering everything from Cohabitation Agreements to high-profile divorce cases where we have successfully challenged and changed the law. For expert advice you can trust from one of the country's leading family law teams, call us on 0370 1500 100, or contact us online.

Is There A Minimum Length Of Time You Need To Have Lived Together?

No, in fact, many couples find it best to set out a Cohabitation Agreement before moving in together. This can help to set the living arrangements off on the right foot, before problems regarding finances or responsibilities have a chance to develop.

You can create a Cohabitation Agreement after moving in together, and change one at any time depending on how your circumstances change. Cohabitation Agreements are tailored to your specific circumstances, so if at any point you're unhappy with yours, you can have it amended as a couple.

For specific advice on your case, and how our leading family law experts can help you, call our team today on 0370 1500 100, or get in touch online and we'll get in contact as soon as possible.

I live in Scotland, can Irwin Mitchell help me?

Our expert family law team works with a number of trusted partners to help our clients with family law issues in Scotland.

We’ll be your point of contact and manage the entire process for you throughout. You’ll get frequent progress updates and we’ll break down any legal jargon into plain English so you’re always in the loop.

To find out more about how we can help, give us a call on 0370 1500 100 or contact us online.

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