Check List: Your Legal Rights When a Relationship Ends

The end of a relationship is never a fun time but as well as the emotional fallout to deal with there are always a lot pf practical issues to address. Knowing your rights is the first step to making sure that you end up with what you deserve out of the relationship. Follow our checklist to make sure that have considered all the important areas of your life which may be affected by the split.

1. Housing

One of the most difficult things to deal when you split from your partner is where you are going to live. The first thing to think about is your immediate plans and deciding who will remain in the house. After this you need to consider selling. If you are married or have joint ownership of the home then your lawyer will help you arrange a fair deal. However, if you have been cohabiting but the house is in your partner’s name, even if you have been paying towards the mortgage, you do not have any rights on the home.

2. Money

When you are living together all the expenses are split so it can be a shock to the system when you need to afford to live alone. If you have joint assets then you need to make sure that it is split fairly. If both of your names are on the accounts then it should be split evenly but if you have been using your partner’s account, or they were the sole earner, then you will need to consult your lawyer. You will have a stronger case if you are married.

3. Debts

If you have any outstanding debts with your partner then you need to work out how you are both going to continue paying them. If they are joint then you will still be liable for the full amount if your partner stops paying.

4. Children

Ending a relationship is always more difficult when children are involved and you need to put them first in all your decisions. If your partner has parental responsibility then they will have rights to visitation and also need to pay child support. Both parents need to be involved in finding a custody agreement that is best suitable.

5. Wills

It is important that you put a will in place in case you or your partner passes away. If you are married then any assets will automatically pass to your partner but if you are cohabiting then you do not have legal rights unless they are laid out in a will.

The best thing is to make sure that your rights are protected before your relationship ends. Put a will in place, know where your money is and in what name and understand whether you have rights to any property. When your relationship does come to an end, seek the advice of a lawyer and make sure that you can use your knowledge to cover all areas of your life. If you have children it is even more important that you and them are provided for.