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Expertise
4th February 2025

Alex Brereton comments on property protection on separation and planning ahead in Metro

Alex Brereton
Alex Brereton
Partner

Alex’s article was published in Metro, 3 February 2025, and can be seen here.

Alex Brereton, Partner in our Family & Relationships department, is quoted in Metro discussing the complexities that can arise when cohabiting couples separate without prior legal agreements.

I bought a house with my partner — but when we broke up, he refused to sell

From arguing over who’s keeping the Le Creuset pan to who’s sleeping on the sofa until the sale goes through, moving out during a breakup can be an emotional process.

Splitting from a partner is hard enough, but if you’ve got a house to sell – or a tenancy to move out of – things can get even more complicated.

Alex suggests that, while planning for a mid-tenancy split might not sound very romantic, it’s worth doing.

‘To avoid the risk of being stuck paying for a lengthy tenancy you just want to escape from, negotiating a sensibly timed break clause at the outset is a really good idea,’ Alex explains.

‘It’s also worth remembering that tenants’ rights only apply to those who are named on the tenancy agreement.

‘This can cause issues for people who move into their partner’s rented property and aren’t then formally added to the tenancy, as they can find they have no rights to remain living there after a break-up despite having been contributing to the rent.’

And when it comes to buying together, the stakes are even higher.

Read the full article here: I bought a house with my partner — but when we broke up, he refused to sell (Metro)