Partner and housing contributions

Accountant_Kerry

Hi all I’m after your views pls.
I’m considering buying a house and my partner moving in. Whilst we will be cohabiting off sorts I do not want him to pay towards the house and this potentially have a claim on it in future. However he doesn’t want to feel like a free loader. Can he rent the room he will use for his daughters visiting etc or is there another way for him to contribute without leaving him
open to making a claim if this turns sour in the future? He knows my thoughts and why I don’t want him to be in a position to make a claim and is fine with it. 

tacpot12

The best option is for him to give (i.e. gift) you money while he is living with you. So long as you are both clear that this is not a contribution to the mortgage, he will not acquire a financial interest in your property. You should also be careful not to let him contribute to capital improvements of the property; e.g. any sort of improvement that would increase the capital value of the property, like an extension or garage. Contributing to the repairs and replacements, such as paying half the cost of a new boiler (when the old one has reached the end of its life) or paying half the costs of replacing worn our carpets will not give him a financial interest in your property. Adding him to the Council Tax bill will will not give him a financial interest in your property. 

It is also a good discipline for him to give you some money in this way, as were he to move out, he would certainly have to pay rent.

The sort of arrangement above is exactly the arrangement I have with my partner, except that I am the non-property owner. When we agreed to start living together I had my own house, and it suited us both to agree that neither would ever have an interest in each other's property. I give my partner money each month, and live in her house. We share the costs of all repairs and replacements 50/50. Until recently I was renting my house out, and I shared the rent 50/50 with her. I've now sold the house, invested the proceeds in a S&S ISA and split the income from the investments 50/50. 

My only other advice is to let him pay one of the utility bills outright, e.g. Gas and Electric, so that he has a utility bill he can use for proving his address. Agree with him that you can open bills from the supplier (so you can ensure he is not building up any sort of debt) and that he can deduct his half of the Gas and Electric bill from the notional amount of money he gives you each month.

[Deleted User]

Accountant_Kerry said:

Hi all I’m after your views pls.
I’m considering buying a house and my partner moving in. Whilst we will be cohabiting off sorts I do not want him to pay towards the house and this potentially have a claim on it in future. However he doesn’t want to feel like a free loader. Can he rent the room he will use for his daughters visiting etc or is there another way for him to contribute without leaving him
open to making a claim if this turns sour in the future? He knows my thoughts and why I don’t want him to be in a position to make a claim and is fine with it. 

This has been debated and discussed ad nauseam on the forum.  If he is happy to contribute towards the household knowing he will have no claim on the property and you don't want to him to have a claim on the property despite him helping to pay off your mortgage then get a co-habitation agreement drawn up spelling it all out.