Living Together

When you move in with a partner, there are things you may need to consider. This includes your commitments to one another while living together, and your responsibilities if you ever separate. Understanding these rights and responsibilities can help you make informed choices.

There are standard legal rules around separation including who owns property. You and your partner may decide to sign a domestic contract to change these rules to fit your situation. These contracts outline your agreements to one another. A domestic contract can include commitments for while you are living together, when you get married, and your agreements about what will happen if you ever separate.

A common-law partnership means two people who live together in an intimate relationship but are not legally married to each other.

Couples who get married have legal rights and responsibilities to one another including things like shared property. Some of those rights and responsibilities are different when you live with a common-law partner.

Usually, you must live with your partner for a certain amount of time before you are considered common-law.