Our expertise
Premarital and living together agreements
Moving in with your partner may be one of the most exciting and romantic decisions you’ll make in your life. As such, you are not likely to be considering your legal rights, or anything as mundane as how you are going to pay the bills. You are certainly unlikely to be thinking about what would happen to your home, sofa, bills etc if you split up.
A living together agreement is not just for celebrities, or those unsure of their relationship. A living together agreement can be used to sort out the day-to-day workings of living together and protect both you and your partner from whatever might happen to your relationship in the future. This is particularly important for couples with children from previous relationships, who want to ensure they are provided for in the event of a separation.
If you were to split up, it can help you to do it as amicably and fairly as possible and makes it a lot less painful and greatly reduces the chances of your relationship ending in the worst possible way – a long and bitter (not to mention expensive) court battle.
Ideally you would make a living together agreement when you first move in together, but later is better than never, so even if you’ve already been together for 15 years it is still relevant.
Both agreements are very similar. If prepared by a solicitor, both are legally binding between the two parties in the same way as any legal contract. Both agreements are not binding on the Court on a divorce, but generally they will follow the agreement as long as it is fair and you were honest about your finances from the start. A court is even more likely to uphold the agreement if both parties received legal advice.
We pride ourselves on being experienced specialist lawyers who are professional, friendly and approachable. Please contact our family department for further advice and assistance or e-mail michelle.ellis@rosscoates.co.uk