Do You Need a Declaration of Trust?

A declaration of trust is commonly used to define ownership rights in relation to a property where multiple parties have contributed to the purchase price. It acts a written record of the financial arrangement between the owners, outlining the proportion of the purchase price that each party paid and the conditions of the ongoing ownership. […]

Cohabitation Agreement: Essential Guide

cohabitation agreement

More and more couples are opting to sign a cohabitation agreement to provide clarity and certainty in the event of separation. A cohabitation agreement can help to avoid disagreements over who owns what and who owes what after relationship breakdown. Unmarried couples do not benefit from the same rights as their married counterparts – even […]

Common Law Partner Rights

common law partner

‘Common law’ partners usually refers to couples who live together and are in a long-term relationship. In the UK, the concept of the “common law partner” is a myth in legal terms. An unmarried, cohabiting couple do not share the same legal status as a married couple or a couple in a civil partnership. This […]

Deed of Trust for Joint Property Owners

Shared ownership of property is becoming more and more common, whether between unmarried couples, friends, siblings, or children with their parents. If you’re buying a property with someone else, a deed of trust is an effective way of proving legal ownership of all parties who have a share of the property.   What is a […]

What is Common Law Marriage?

Contrary to popular belief, there is no such thing as common law marriage in the UK. Whilst the term is often used colloquially to refer to cohabiting couples, common law marriage is not legally recognised here. Moreover, notwithstanding the prevalence of unmarried couples cohabiting in the UK, the legal rights of those living together differ […]