Family Law | Updates

Cohabitation Agreement for Non-married Couples

Name: Residential conveyancing
Brand: EPO Solicitors
Rating: 4.9 (187 reviews)

15 November 2022

Many people that live together or that are thinking about living together don’t know about the grounds and the basics of a cohabitation agreement. Therefore, EPO solicitors have pulled together some information to help you to decide if a cohabitation agreement is the right option for you and your partner.

What is a Cohabitation Agreement?

A cohabitation agreement is a legally binding contract that can be used for any couple that is, or that is going to live together. The basics of a cohabitation agreement may have the same grounds that a pre-nuptial agreement does, covering elements such as ownership of property, how jointly owned assets will be separated if the couple splits up, plus some other elements such as:

Payments of debts
Pets
Household bills and rent
Life insurance
Next of kin rights
Personal assets
Inheritance and wills

And more.

In fact, a cohabitation agreement, which is also known as a living agreement, can also be done for any people who are living together, be they a couple or not. It can be used for individuals who share a property, friends or relatives who live together, co-parents, and more.

Why a Cohabitation Agreement is Important?

Unlike marriage and civil partnerships, people who live together don’t have the same rights and no laws apply to their legal rights of simply living together. In this case, a cohabitation agreement can help you and your partner to keep peace of mind regarding your rights, as well as make sure of both sides’ intentions.

A living together agreement can avoid any issues if the relationship breakdown, be it a friendly situation or not. The agreement will also help both parties to understand better the financial situation and commitments of the other party prior to moving together, not letting room for misunderstandings.

What if I Change My Mind or Financial Situation?

A cohabitation agreement, as well as any partnership contract, can be amended at any time if both parties consent to it. In fact, changing the agreement once any of the side’s financial situation change is highly important.

The cohabitation agreement also must be updated if any other life major changes to any of the parties, such as the birth of a child or if one of you becomes seriously ill, to make sure that there will not be going to be any misunderstandings or issues if the case of splitting up.

Can I Draw My Own Cohabitation Agreement?

Therefore, even though not a rule, a cohabitation agreement is highly recommended to be done by solicitors that will guarantee that the document will be valid and be covering all the necessary bits for your case, avoiding disappointment and issues in the future.

There are many templates for cohabitation agreements you can find online, but please bear in mind that none of them will cover your exact needs as each agreement will require covering different matters and situations.

If you still have any queries about cohabitation agreements or for an initial consultation with EPO solicitors, do not hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to answer any queries you may have!

Samuel Sparrow

16:20 23 Sep 22

Bought my first home which completed today, and I could not be happier!My Solicitor, Katie Dwyer, was absolutely fantastic and helped me each step of the way. Her guidance, professionalism and support was second to none. She even went out of her way to assist by attending a meeting in the evening to ensure that documents were completed when needed. I honestly could not have had a better Solicitor. If you want a fantastic Solicitor, contact Katie at Eddowes Perry & Osbourne. She was recommended to me. I, like a lot of others, have come to realise that Katie is not only a truly talented Solicitor, but also an incredible person.

Jean Wall

13:24 08 Aug 22

We have been with Eddowes Perry and Osbourne for many, many years and have always had excellent service for all of our legal needs.This time we chose them again to do the conveyancing for our house sale and house purchase.Maria was excellent; her professional approach to the job gave us peace of mind throughout the process. She was diligent and thorough in all aspects of the work. We had regular updates and all of our questions and concerns were addressed timely and positively with no drama.I would wholeheartedly recommend Maria for her conveyancing skills and EPO for all aspects of legal work.Thank you to all the team members but to Maria and Sarah in particular.

TW-Automotive

17:44 12 Jul 22

Reviewing on a B2B basis... Worked with Yassa to deliver some branding for their company vehicle, effortless to deal with and most importantly paid instantly. Any prospective customers / businesses no need to worry when it comes to EPO. Great people.

Saurabh Paul

21:37 06 Jul 22

We had the pleasure of having Maria as our conveyancing solicitor, for my purchase and sales that concluded couple of weeks ago. Right from the start of the engagement, I found Maria very professional, transparent and courteous. She ticked all the boxes that one could think of to make the rather complex conveyancing process smooth and easier. Given the post covid market conditions having a right solicitors was very important and I can only be thankful to Maria and the EPO team for overcoming the challenges on our sales and our purchase to ensure timely completion. At all times she kept us well informed about the progress and provided us with a first class service in terms of the guidance and ensuring appropriate due diligence. Can’t thank Maria and her team enough for their hard work. Maria is trustworthy and a safe pair of hands for any conveyancing needs.

Howard Allen

15:02 07 May 22

I found it easy to contact this company and their communication is exceptionally good. An appointment for my mother to have a home visit was quickly arranged for a date and time that suited her. The solicitor took the trouble to comply with the Covid restrictions at my mother’s accommodation and the visit was not at all rushed. The solicitor put my mother at ease and was particularly courteous and helpful. Having taken my mother’s instructions the solicitor quickly produced the draft document and arranged for a follow up visit for the final document to be signed. This involved some more work than was originally quoted for but the invoice was for the quoted amount. The solicitor was thoroughly professional and efficient but, importantly for my mother, friendly and approachable. I wish that I had used this company for other legal work that I have needed recently as I am sure that I would have had a much better experience. I would definitely use this company for any future work and wholeheartedly recommend them to others. Thanks very much for such an excellent and considerate job.