Cohabitation is often seen as the alternative to marriage. Sometimes people will cohabit as a prelude to marriage. For what ever reason people cohabit, there must be an understanding of the rights and responsibilities that arise from a relationship with another.

This section explains what some of these rights and responsibilities are. Below you will find a summary of what information is covered in this site. If you would like more information, then click on the links in the left-hand side of the page.

There are four essential things a couple who are planning to cohabit on a long term basis should consider doing:

• Set up a simple Cohabitation agreement
• Make Wills so that either partner is provided for in the event of a death
• Take out a power of attorney so that the partners have legal authority to manage each others affairs in the event of illness
• If the couple own a property they should ensure that the property is in joint names, in appropriate shares.