Cohabitation Agreement

A cohabitation agreement is a legal document between unmarried couples who live together. It sets out arrangements for property, finances, and children and what will happen if you split up, become ill or die. Cohabitation agreements can also be made between friends or relatives.

Couples who are not married do not have automatic rights like married people, even if they have lived together for a long time or have children. A cohabitation agreement can make sure you have a share of each other’s assets, access to each other’s state pension and next of kin rights in a medical emergency. It can also help you to divide up bills and other responsibilities while you are living together.

Things that can be covered in a cohabitation agreement include:

• who owns what and in what proportion
• what share of the mortgage or rent each of you will pay
• how household bills will be dealt with
• bank accounts and money
• life insurance
• pensions
• personal possessions such as cars, furniture, and jewellery
• payment of debts
• pets
• next of kin rights
• pension access
• property title deeds
• wills can also be considered e.g. mutual wills or mirror wills

Many couples are under the assumption that if they are living together the law protects them in the same way as married couples. However, couples who live together do not have the same legal rights as married couples or those in a civil partnership. A cohabitation agreement provides peace of mind by setting out what arrangements you agree are going to be legally binding.

Contact our Family Law Solicitors

If you have any enquiries in relation to a cohabitation agreement, please contact our family law solicitors on 020 8240 9018 or via the enquiry form on our website.