Cohabitation Agreements and Disputes

Living together without marriage? Loch helps unmarried couples draft clear cohabitation agreements and resolve disputes, protecting your property, finances, and future plans with straightforward, practical legal advice.

Overview

Cohabiting couples often face legal uncertainty because unlike married couples or civil partners, they don’t have automatic rights over property, finances, or inheritance. Without a formal agreement, disputes can arise over ownership of the home, financial contributions, or what happens if the relationship ends without clear guidance on a potential outcome.

A cohabitation agreement is a legal document that sets out each partner’s rights and responsibilities while living together and in the event of separation. It covers financial arrangements, property ownership, debts, and other practical matters.

Without such an agreement, the law treats cohabitants as individuals, which means you may not be entitled to any share of joint assets or compensation, even if you contributed financially to the home or cared for children.

Loch helps couples put clear, fair agreements in place to avoid misunderstandings and protect their interests. We also assist if disputes arise whether over finances, property rights, or other shared concerns.

How Loch
Delivers

We start by discussing your current situation, goals, and concerns. We explain the limits of cohabitation rights under UK law and why a tailored agreement can offer certainty and protection.

We draft cohabitation agreements that are clear, comprehensive, and tailored to your circumstances. We can draft to include property ownership, financial support, division of assets, and dispute resolution mechanisms.

If disagreements emerge, we provide strategic advice on your legal position and negotiate on your behalf to find fair solutions. Where necessary, we can support you in court or mediation to resolve such disputes.

Our approach is practical, non-judgmental, and focused on safeguarding your financial and personal wellbeing.

Key Elements

Yes, if properly drafted and signed, it is a contract between partners that courts generally uphold unless it is unfair, you have not obtained legal advice or been honest about your finances.

Without an agreement, your rights depend on property ownership and contract law, which may leave one partner unprotected despite financial contributions.

It can address financial arrangements related to children, but it cannot override child welfare laws or court decisions on custody and contact.

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