Live-in lovers break up…boom for unmarried couples

Couples who break up following a live-in relationship are paying tens of thousands of pounds in settlements to their former partners.

A new phenomenon of ‘break-up payments’ is increasingly common because more and more couples are living together for several years without marrying. When a marriage collapses, a spouse is usually entitled to half the couple’s assets, but for cohabitees the legalities can be a minefield.

Some people were willing to pay up to £100,000 to former partners to avoid lengthy legal action which can last up to 18 months, it said. Recent actions have involved custody of children, jointly owned property, bank accounts and even pets. There are 2.3million cohabiting couples and the number is expected to double in the next 25 years. One in four children is born to cohabitees.

The problem is partly due to such disputes being dealt with using property rather than family law, as no legislation had yet been passed making clear the rights of unmarried partners when they split up. It can ultimately be a case of “he said, she said” – one partner’s ability to be more convincing than the other in court can be crucial in determining how cases are settled.
Some disputes involved individuals who had genuinely made contributions to building up joint assets, others featured demands which could best be described as ‘nuisance’.

We have seen instances in which people have issued demands to complicate their exes’ new relationships.’

If you are involved in a relationship breakup consult the experts

For more information or a free legal opinion telephone 020-7381-8111 (24 hour service) or email [email protected].