Cohabitation and The Redress Scheme

If you have been living with your partner for a period of two years and have a child together or,  if you have no children together but have been living together for five years – then you are what the law terms as a ‘Qualifying Cohabitant.’ This means that, under what is called ‘The Redress Scheme,’ if your relationship with your partner has broken down and you are financially dependent, you may be able to successfully claim compensatory maintenance, the transfer of property and any pensions or you may be able to make a claim against the estate of a deceased cohabitant.

Drawing up a Cohabitation Agreement

We encourage clients who are neither married or registered in a civil partnership and who live with their partners to strongly consider drawing up a Cohabitation Agreement.
The advantage of a Cohabitation Agreement is that it provides certainty for you and your partner as to what financial and property arrangements will apply in the event of the unfortunate breakdown of your relationship.  Agreeing these and other practical issues that are important to you and your partner  in advance will mean that if your relationship should come to an end the process of moving on with your lives post-relationship will be far less traumatic.

A member of our family law team will provide you with all of the information and guidance you need before entering into a Cohabitation Agreement that is tailored to cover all of the legal issues arising from your relationship together.