Contracts For Unmarried Couples In Middlesex
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FAQ
The general rule is that whoever is listed on the title deeds as the legal owner gets the house when an unmarried couple splits up.
When an unmarried relationship ends, the Court can only exercise a declaratory function. This means it divides assets on the basis of who already owns what, and not who should own what, no matter how long established the relationship.
As covered above, for a cohabitation agreement to stand up in court each partner must also seek independent legal advice, so in this case it would make sense for a solicitor to have at least some hand in the drafting of the document too, to ensure that it is both comprehensive and legally sound.
Sole home ownership for married couples or civil partners Where one spouse or civil partner is the sole owner of the home, both parties have the right to stay in the house during separation. The other party can register their home rights with the Land Registry to protect their interest in the home.
Whether you've been living together for 1 year, 10 years or even 50 years, if you're not married, you have no automatic legal right to your partner's assets.
Perhaps the most common way for unmarried couples to take title to real property is as "tenants in common." Unlike a joint tenancy, a tenant in common has no automatic right to inherit the property when the other partner dies.
In the UK, if you bought your home together, you are both equally and legally entitled to stay there.
