Would girlfirend get share of house is we split up?

Descartes · 13 January 2007 at 6:50PM

I am 145 and love my dog called Barry.

Sloganjerry · 13 January 2007 at 7:24PM

Hi

I'm in the opposite position. I'm considering moving in with my girlfriend who owns her own home. I want to know that i've got some comeback if I'm paying towards the bills and up keep of the house. Anyone know what the law is on common law cohabiting??

Cheers

Thanks!

Gillby1 · 13 January 2007 at 9:20PM

This might help?

http://www.lawontheweb.co.uk/basics/cohabit.htm

welshcakes · 14 January 2007 at 11:00AM

Descartes, I presume that since the work your g/f has is only temporary that her staying with you at your home will only be whilst she is working in your area? If this is the case, she will not qualify to make any legal claim on your property.

Where you decide to make it a permanent set up and she changes all her bank address details, driver license etc to your address and starts contributing to the bills that maintain the home, she would be considered as being resident there. However, this alone is still not enough for her to have a valid claim on the property asset. Co habitation must be for a reasonable length of time before an claim would even be considered by the courts and whilst it continues to present as a grey area with great variation on individual judgements, I would say that it normally kicks in after at least 6-months, where the parties are cohabiting as oppose to one staying as guest of the other, where there has been a continuous and consistent co responsibility for basis utility bills and where both parties are registered at the address.

I guess it comes down to the question of how committed you both are and axpectations of how stable your future is together. You'll both no doubt have a much better idea a few months down the line and that is when you should be considering whether to start splitting the bills. Up til then, I would continue to be soley responsible for everything and have her pay you a contribution that way it is more a tenant/landlord come contributing guest set up.

What you should consider however is whether or not she is surrendering her own current property (ie rental) in favour of moving in with you as that would compaound any future rights she has as it demonstrates intention. Best that you two have a good, friendly talk about it and make sure you and she have matching expectations and intentions right from the word go.

welshcakes · 14 January 2007 at 11:03AM

Descartes, I presume that since the work your g/f has is only temporary that her staying with you at your home will only be whilst she is working in your area? If this is the case, she will not qualify to make any legal claim on your property.

Where you decide to make it a permanent set up and she changes all her bank address details, driver license etc to your address and starts contributing to the bills that maintain the home, she would be considered as being resident there. However, this alone is still not enough for her to have a valid claim on the property asset. Co habitation must be for a reasonable length of time before an claim would even be considered by the courts and whilst it continues to present as a grey area with great variation on individual judgements, I would say that it normally kicks in after at least 6-months, where the parties are cohabiting as oppose to one staying as guest of the other, where there has been a continuous and consistent co responsibility for basis utility bills and where both parties are registered at the address.

I guess it comes down to the question of how committed you both are and axpectations of how stable your future is together. You'll both no doubt have a much better idea a few months down the line and that is when you should be considering whether to start splitting the bills. Up til then, I would continue to be soley responsible for everything and have her pay you a contribution that way it is more a tenant/landlord come contributing guest set up.

What you should consider however is whether or not she is surrendering her own current property (ie rental) in favour of moving in with you as that would compaound any future rights she has as it demonstrates intention. Best that you two have a good, friendly talk about it and make sure you and she have matching expectations and intentions right from the word go.

Scarlett1 · 14 January 2007 at 2:55PM

Sloganjerry wrote:

Hi

I'm in the opposite position. I'm considering moving in with my girlfriend who owns her own home. I want to know that i've got some comeback if I'm paying towards the bills and up keep of the house. Anyone know what the law is on common law cohabiting??

Cheers

Thanks!

wherever you live you will have living costs so it shouldnt buy you a share of a house, have you actually talked to your girlfriend and made it aware you expect something in return

when I first bought a house my b/f at the time moved in with me and we lived together for 3 years, when we split up he walked away with nothing more than what he came with

maypole · 14 January 2007 at 8:15PM

Hello there

If your girlfriend does not have her name on the mortgage or deeds, then she is not entitled to half of anything. She will have no legal entitlement. It would be different if you were married, she would have rights then. I think if she contributes to major changes in the property and can prove she did so, she may claim for that. I read an article in the Observer a few years ago about a woman who lived with a man for 27years, had children, but when they split up, because they weren't married, she got nothing.

Some people think if you live together for 6 months or so, you are entitled to half of everything if you split - not true.

welshcakes · 14 January 2007 at 8:18PM

Quite right mayploe, some people think that if you're married for 6 years you're entitled to half of everything - wrong! Blimey, can you imagine having your adult children still living at home for years and then they leave you a note one day saying "off to sunnier climes... oh and my solicitor will be in touch!" lol

Would girlfirend get share of house is we split up?

Comments

Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

🚀 Getting Started

Categories

Is this how you want to be seen?

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free