Harvey McKibbin says, even though it’s hard, couples should plan for a worst case scenario where they split up and must deal with distribution of their assets, as co-habiting couples have fewer rights than those who are married or in a civil partnership.

Seeking the advice of a solicitor before moving in or breaking up can help to make this as painless as possible and could save a lot of time and money as well as heartache if you do split up.

Rights surrounding parental responsibility, wills and pensions also differ compared to couples who are married or in a civil partnership. These issues can be explained in detail by a family solicitor, so you and your family are protected. Owner Harvinder McKibbin says “We’re seeing more and more cohabiting couples to offer advice on how they can avoid the pitfalls and give them peace of mind about what would happen in the worst case scenario.  However, there are many more who don’t realise that they could be storing up a very painful process in the future when they can simply see a professional to get the best advice to avoid this.”

Law Society President Robert Heslett says:

“It is no surprise that couples do not want to consider the ramifications if they break up but it is essential that when committing to set up home together to seek legal advice from a solicitor in order to prepare for any eventuality.

“Cases like the one described are happening all too frequently and we urge co-habiting couples to ensure they have protected their assets or they too may face a similar fate.”

So the best thing to do is to seek some advice from a professional, so you know where you stand and can make informed decisions. Without doing this, couples can suffer enormous extra hardships, emotional and financial, should things not work out in the end.

Harvinder McKibbin agrees, and says “We can make sure you’re fully informed and protected so that if your relationship hits the rocks you only have to cope with a broken heart and not watch the whole financial ship go down too!”