Living Together Planning Session

4 years together | £48k property equity | £3k savings | No children

Liam and Sofia had been together for four years and owned a small flat together worth just over £180,000. With a mortgage, that left them around £48,000 in equity. They also had about £3,000 in joint savings.

When they separated, communication had completely broken down. Neither knew where to start with dividing their flat, and tensions were high every time the subject came up. As an unmarried couple, they were aware that unlike married couples, they didn't have clear legal rights around their shared property and had to navigate trust law principles instead.

They chose amicable's Complete Negotiation with Separation Agreement Service for complete support from start to finish. Their Separation Specialist helped them take stock of everything they owned together, explore fair options and reach a clear agreement about selling the flat and dividing the equity.

With expert guidance throughout, they agreed on how to split the proceeds fairly, created a plan for handling the sale and moved forward with a legally binding separation agreement. They walked away with confidence, clarity and closure – all without the stress of unpredictable legal costs.

Amira and Josh, First home together | Renting

Liam (35), an IT consultant and Sofia (32), a physiotherapist, were buying their first home together for £420,000. Sofia was contributing a much larger deposit thanks to family help, while Liam was contributing from his own savings. They'd both been thinking about how to set things up so it felt fair to both of them, now and in the future, especially if their incomes changed.

Because they were already aligned on the big calls, they went straight to the Cohabitation Agreement Service. Their Specialist drafted an agreement that recognised the different sizes of their deposits in their property shares, and set out how they'd split the £1,650 monthly mortgage and household costs. Sofia's separate savings and Liam's existing ISA were also recorded as their own.

They moved in feeling clear about how their bigger purchase would be handled, and confident that   both contributions were properly recognised.

Rachel and Tom, Blending households | Both divorced | Different social and living expectations

Rachel (43), a freelance graphic designer, owned her home with around £180,000 in equity. Tom (47), an operations manager, was moving in with her after his own divorce. Both had been through long marriages and wanted to be more intentional this time, avoiding the patterns that had caused issues before.

They added a Living Together Planning Session at checkout to talk things through with a Specialist   first. Once they were clear, the Specialist drafted their cohabitation agreement. It set out how Tom would contribute to the bills and mortgage through a shared account, kept their personal accounts and savings separate, recorded the equity Rachel was bringing as her own and listed the furniture and personal items each of them was bringing into the home. They also agreed how to look after Rachel's dog Maisie, who was already part of the household.

They moved in feeling that this time, they'd built solid foundations together.

Caroline and David – new relationship, both own property

Caroline (46), a senior HR manager, had owned her home for over a decade and had around £260,000 in equity. She was midway through a large renovation project. David (48), a self-employed landscape designer, had recently bought his own flat after his divorce with around £50,000 in equity. They wanted to combine their lives without losing what they'd each built independently.

Their Living Together Planning Session gave them space to map things out, and their Specialist then   drafted their cohabitation agreement to capture it all. It recorded that Caroline's home and David's   flat would each stay theirs, set out how David would contribute to Caroline's £1,100 monthly mortgage and household bills and agreed how the rental income from David's flat would be handled.   The contribution David was making to the renovation was recognised in the agreement, and any future inheritance for either of them was kept clearly separate.

They moved in feeling secure, with both of their financial positions properly recognised.

Nina and Elijah, Buying together | Planning for uncertainty | Active lifestyles

Nina (36), an NHS doctor and Elijah (35), a civil engineer, were moving into a home they had bought together for £510,000 with a joint deposit of £85,000. Their relationship was in a good place, but they wanted to have an open, calm conversation about 'what if' scenarios before settling in. Both of them enjoyed the outdoors and travel.

During the session, they discussed what would happen if one of them needed to relocate for work, how to manage different expectations around spending time together and how they would manage their £1,900 monthly mortgage during big life changes. Nina also wanted to explore what a fair approach might look like if they eventually separated.

The conversation gave them both a sense of security. Knowing they could talk through difficult possibilities helped them feel more confident and less trapped by the practical side of commitment.

Ben and Kai, Moving in together | High earner | Different spending attitudes

Ben (47), a business owner and Kai (38), a charity project coordinator were excited to move in together but conscious of their income gap. They were renting a home in London for £3,500 per month and wanted to avoid resentment or pressure building over time.

With structured support, they agreed on a proportion-based system for splitting rent and bills and discussed their attitudes towards spending, saving and lifestyle choices. They also talked through how they would approach bigger financial decisions, such as holidays or future property plans.

The session gave them both reassurance. Ben felt reassured that they'd found an approach that worked for both of them and Kai felt confident the arrangement would be fair and sustainable.