It's a popular myth that the Law applies to Common Law Husbands or Wives or Couples Living Together just as it does to married couples:-
- But no matter how long a couple have been living together, they will never acquire the same rights as a married couple or civil partners
- The problem for couples living together is many of them only find this out when their relationship has broken down or their partner has died
So if you decide on living together with your partner, but not to get married or enter a civil partnership, you should protect your legal interests to reduce the legal and financial problems which may arise if you decide to separate or if one of you dies:-
- Make a Living Together Agreement (also known as a Cohabitation Agreement) to govern the day-to-day financial issues in your relationship
- Make a Lasting Power of Attorney to ensure that that your partner is able to make decisions about your finances and/or personal welfare if you are unable to do so
- Make a Will to ensure that your partner is provided for in the event of your death. If your fail to provide for your partner in your Will then he or she may not receive anything
Most of our clients stil prefer the reassurance of a face to face discussion about Living Together Agreements which can then be tailored to your circumstances. However we recognise that people don't always want full support for these services, so we offer innovative Fixed Fee Services to provide choices according to what you can afford and how much support you want for your Living Together Agreement.
These fixed fee services for your Living Together Agreement are delivered online - making them much cheaper, but still with the reassurance that they are checked by our lawyers before they are completed:-
- A Fixed Fee Cohabitation Agreement - for just £59
- A FIxed Fee Lasting Power of Attorney - for just £59
- A Pair of Fixed Fee Wills for unmarried people - for just £59
If you are a couple living together with children, you need to consider that the Law provides that a mother automatically has parental responsibility for any children. A father only has automatic parental responsibility if:-
- He is married to the mother
- The child was born after 1 December 2003 and he is named on the birth certificate
However, a father can obtain parental responsibility if he:-
- Enters into a voluntary Parental Responsibility Agreement
- Obtains a Parental Responsibility Order from the court
Please contact us to discuss how our Family Law Solicitors might be able to help you with your Living Together Agreement or Cohabitation Agreement.
