Love During Lockdown: Cohabitation Rights

On 24 March 2020, the UK’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Jenny Harries, announced that couples who are currently living in separate households ‘should test the strength of their relationship’ and either move in together or stay apart during the coronavirus lockdown.   

Couples deciding to move in together during the coronavirus lockdown, may intend to only live together for the duration of the lockdown period. Others may decide that moving in together should become a permanent arrangement, which they intend to continue after the Government’s lockdown measures have ended.

If a couple intends to continue living together then it is important that they consider the legal implications of living together (or cohabiting) permanently.

This article:

• Offers some information on the legal rights of cohabiting couples (particularly, in relation to property)

   

• Suggests steps that may be taken now to minimise the prospect of any disagreements between cohabiting couples in the future; and

   

• Explains how to protect legal rights which might arise (intentionally or otherwise) from the decision to cohabit 

Read the full article here.