3 Legal Considerations for Couples Moving in Together After the Lockdown

In March, when the UK went into complete lockdown, couples who were dating were left with three choices: say their goodbyes with a lockdown breakup, continue their relationship online or start living together with a quick move-in.

While many couples opted for the third option and moved towards cohabiting, the number of 3.5 million unmarried couples living together in the country increased. However, if you’re one of those who have postponed moving-in, here are all the legalities you should know about:

Cohabitation agreement

Cohabiting couples in the UK don’t hold the same rights as married couples. This means that you don’t share property rights, have no legal protection at the end of your relationship, and the one with weaker financial status doesn’t hold any power to demand support from the financially more reliable partner.

This is why a cohabitation agreement is pivotal to set the tone of your arrangement. Before moving in, meet a family lawyer to help you devise a cohabitation agreement that can cover elements like property ownership, division of household bills, your finances in terms of joint accounts and pensions and ownership of household items in the event of separation.

Image filename: person-signing-paper

Image alt text: A person writing on white paper with a pen

Declaration of trust

The declaration of trust is a document that proclaims the proportion in which two or more individuals own property. In the event of a sell-out, the declaration of trust can decide how much of the received amount’s percentage goes to each partner.

While planning to move together, consider getting a declaration of trust made to clarify your property rights and who owns what percentage of a common commodity. One of the significant benefits of a declaration of trust is that it can help avoid costly disputes if you part ways with your partner.

Inheritance after death

Since cohabiting couples don’t enjoy the same rights as married couples, in the event of a partner’s death, the other partner doesn’t automatically inherit their property. One way of dealing with this problem is making your will.

Get an estimated value for your belongings, decide how you want them to be divided once you’ve left this world and set pen to paper. Ensure that you mention all the information clearly, leaving no room for legal disputes and sign your will after choosing your executor.

At Wembley Solicitors, we can help you with all legalities before moving in together in Wembley, London. Our team of highly educated and experienced family law solicitors are adept at dealing with all sorts of family legal issues.