Fiona Apthorpe from Robinsons Solicitors in Derby has welcomed reforms to cohabitation laws that have occurred following a landmark legal case.
Ms. Apthorpe, who is the head of the firm’s family and mediation department, has stated that a great deal of heartache is caused when people who live together wrongly believe that they have the same rights as married couples when their relationship ends.
The only female English justice of the Supreme Court, Lady Hale, called for a reform of the current laws prompted by a unanimous ruling by the UK Supreme Court about a Scottish cohabitation case.
In the landmark case, Jessamine Gow sold her house and moved in with Angus Grant but was left homeless when they broke up. In a court settlement she was awarded £39,500.
Ms Apthorpe said: “We do see cases where one couple is left in extreme financial hardship because they didn’t know that, in order to protect themselves under English law, couples need to draw up a cohabitation agreement.”