Family law refers to the area of law that deals with family matters, including marriage and civil partnerships, divorce proceedings and separation and also raising and caring for children to name just a few. Family solicitors are also able to assist couples who are cohabitating  with their financial agreements. So whatever family matters you may be dealing with, if you find that you are in need of legal advice and you are based in Portsmouth you may want to look into speaking to one of our family solicitors at our practice Andrew and Andrew, who will be able to provide you with legal advice relevant to your situation.

Andrew and Andrew have been providing exemplary service to our numerous clients within many aspects of law over decades, ensuring that we provide a high quality and professional service at all times.

Are you looking to move in with your partner?

If you are based in Portsmouth and looking to move in with your partner and are considering owning a property together, there are many factors to consider before taking this important step. By having family solicitors Portsmouth involved in this process it will mean that you will be provided with specialist legal advice for you to consider, so you can make a fully informed decision. Although there is no legal definition for couples who decide to live together, there is an option to create a ‘cohabitation contract’ between you and your partner which allows you to formalise important aspects of your relationship. With the assistance of family solicitors Portsmouth; a cohabitation contract is able to outline both the rights and obligations of each partner in the relationship. If you are jointly owning a property together, as well as a cohabitation contract, it will be advised for you to create a ‘declaration of trust’. A ‘declaration of trust’ is a legal agreement which details how you both share the property.

Another important factor to consider when deciding to move in with your partner is that of finances. If you are living with your partner and you both have separate bank accounts, neither of you can have access to money held in the other partner’s bank account. If one partner unfortunately passes away, the money held in their account will remain the property of the deceased until their estate is settled.

If you have a joint account however with your partner, then both parties have access to the money, regardless of who pays the money into the account. In the unfortunate circumstance of the relationship breaking down, if it cannot be decided between the both of you who owns the money in the joint bank account, the matter can be taken to court for a decision.

If you are currently cohabiting with your partner in a jointly owned property and you feel as though the relationship is breaking down, you may want to know what legal rights you have and whether they are similar to a married couple’s.

Unfortunately, unlike married couples a cohabitant does not have the same rights and has to rely on ‘trust law’ if there are any disputes regarding a jointly owned property. Which is why it is important to have family solicitors Portsmouth involved from the onset to avoid any complex legal matters later on.