My partner and I are not married but we live together, what is a cohabitation agreement and do I need one?

A cohabitation agreement will set out arrangements between the partners who are living together as to how they will manage their financial affairs and what will happen should they separate. It can also include agreements in respect of children.

If you own property with your partner or are planning to buy a property it is highly desirable to have a clear agreement as to how that property will be owned. If you put the legal title of the property in joint names then on the face of it you are simply entitled to an equal share. However, this may not actually reflect the money that each partner put in to purchase the property or the payments made on the mortgage during the relationship.

Often parents help their children out with monies for deposits on homes. If the relationship ends then this can be a difficult and sensitive issue. It is therefore very sensible to set out clearly what is agreed at the time.