Cohabitation agreements

Cohabitation agreement solicitors


If you are unmarried and live with a partner or are in a civil partnership, you will want to ensure your rights are protected.

If you and a partner live together unmarried or are not in a civil partnership, you will want to protect your assets, particularly if you have invested many years into the relationship and home. We understand the difficulties you can face when it comes to property, finances and children if you are cohabitating with a partner, as the law handles these rights differently to married couples or those in a civil partnership. 

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Our expert cohabitation agreement solicitors have provided advice to couples facing many types of cohabitation disputes, including property, children, assets and maintenance. We can provide you with advice on how to put some protection in place should your relationship breakdown. We can also prepare a cohabitation agreement for you if you are intending to live with a partner, which sets out the financial agreement should you separate in the future.

Cohabitation agreements are often entered into by unmarried couples as a way of protecting themselves in the event that the relationship breaks down or one partner dies. An unmarried couple do not have the same legal rights as couples that are married or in a civil partnership meaning you are not entitled to anything which belongs to your partner upon separation or death (unless you are named in their Will).

What is a cohabitation agreement


A cohabitation agreement is a document which records arrangements between you and a partner who you cohabit with.  They are not legally enforceable, but they can be used to resolve disputes quickly and efficiently.  A cohabitation agreement can cover how some issues should be dealt with, including: 

  • home ownership;
  • childcare roles;
  • how bills are shared;
  • pension schemes;
  • life insurance;
  • savings;
  • investments;
  • joint account conditions;
  • power of attorney; and
  • Wills.
  • Cohabitation disputes


    It is very common for disputes to arise between the people sharing a house, whether it’s a cohabiting couple or friends.

    Our cohabitation disputes lawyers have the experience and legal knowledge to help you resolve these issues effectively.

    Disputes often occur when one party wishes to leave a property that they have contributed financially to over the years but do not necessarily have legal rights to, or when one party wishes to sell a property which is owned in joint names.

    In some cases, you may have acquired beneficial ownership, however this can be difficult to prove in court without a cohabitation agreement. It is in the best interests of all parties involved to have a formal agreement drawn up at the outset, so that misunderstandings and common pitfalls can be avoided in the future.

    Cohabitation agreement solicitors Leeds, York & Sheffield


    Our family lawyers act regularly for clients across the United Kingdom from our offices in Leeds, York and Sheffield. We can support your needs wherever you live in England, Wales & Northern Ireland.

    How we can help


    If you wish to talk to one of our family solicitors about your cohabitation rights, or need help after the breakdown of a relationship, get in touch with our team today by calling us on 0333 323 5292, by filling out the enquiry form on this page and letting us know a suitable time to call you back.

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