Ole Haddeland and his cohabitant Stine Bragdø have, after much deliberation, obtained a cohabitation contract. An acquaintance of theirs ended up in a difficult situation, where it became a challenge because they did not have a contract. Therefore, the cohabiting couple have now obtained a contract. Because the rights are not the same for cohabiting couples and married couples. – Very nice Ole and Stine from Haugesund knew that a cohabitation contract was something they should have. But they pushed the decision several times before taking action: – It was very nice to talk through everything to ensure that we have an equal understanding of our joint economy and what is mine, yours and ours, says Hadeland. Ole and Stine say it was not easy to write a cohabitation contract. They say it feels strange, but also liberating. – Now we can talk about everything, says Ole. Photo: Simon Elias Bogen / news While married couples have the Marriage Act which guarantees them the sharing of the values the spouses have created during the marriage period, cohabitants have no corresponding rights. But they can therefore write a cohabitation contract. What should be included in the cohabitation contract? Photo: Marthe Synnøve Johannessen / news There are several cohabitation contract templates that can be downloaded and filled in online. These points are important to include in the contract: The property Who owns the property or what share do you have if the other is to buy in? Or will the other party pay rent? Joint costs How do you divide the bills? If both parties earn differently, you can agree on how to distribute expenses and write it in the contract. Joint loan If you take out a joint loan, include in the cohabitation contract how large a share of the loan you are each responsible for. Who gets the home in the event of a breach? Agree in advance and write in the contract who will live in shared accommodation in the event of a breach. Source: Huseierne.no 30 percent are cohabitants 30 percent of those living in a cohabitation relationship are cohabitants. Justify recently investigated how many of them actually have such an agreement in place. The new survey, carried out by YouGov, shows that almost eight out of ten cohabitants have not written a cohabitation contract: 78 per cent of those who live together have not written a cohabitation contract. 46 percent of those who do not have a cohabitation contract say that they have considered getting one. 40 per cent say that they have not considered getting it – It is easy to mix up finances. Such arrangements may seem good now and then, but can turn out to be unfortunate if the relationship ends. That’s what Trude Sem Langfeldt says. She is a lawyer at Justify, an online service for legal agreements. Lawyer at Justify, Trude Sem Langfeldt. Through Justify, it costs NOK 2,000 to write a cohabitation contract. Photo: Tommy Andersen / Justify – A declaration of love – There is no law that regulates cohabitants today. Cohabitants must make their own agreements and conditions for the cohabitation relationship, says Langfeldt. The lawyer says this will take the relationship to a new level. – A cohabitation contract is not only about what happens if it ends. I see it as a kind of declaration of love, she says. She believes it can provide a sense of security in the relationship. – It can prevent arguments and make finances less taboo in the relationship, she says. Regardless of how you get a contract in place, Langfeldt believes that the most important thing is to keep it up to date: – Update the contract annually. Large assets, large payments and inheritance. All this must be included, says Langfeldt. What should you choose? Then comes the question of whether it is better to be cohabiting or to marry. – It completely depends on the situation. If you have two children together and live the A4 life, you might as well just get married. But if you have different levels of investment, then you can advantageously consider a cohabitation agreement. That’s what Christine Braastad Orre says. She is a lawyer at TP Advokatfirma. Lawyer at TP law firm, Christine Braastad Orre. After the contract has been filled in by cohabiting couples, it is handed in to a lawyer who ensures its quality. Photo: Private – The most important thing is that you make conscious, informed choices about this. I have advised clients to get married, but some may find it somewhat callous to get married on financial grounds, she says. A lot of risk Braastad Orre says that many cohabitants do not know how few rights they have should the relationship end, or if one of them drops out. One can risk being left with nothing as a cohabitant, while the spouse is, as a general rule, guaranteed part of the inheritance. – That is why it is wise to obtain information. Talk to a lawyer, preferably together. Then you don’t risk unpleasant surprises if something were to happen, says Braastad Orre. – Why are there so few who get a cohabitation contract? – Personally, I think it is because people think that a breach or an accident will not happen. And when things first become difficult, it is sensitive to address it, she says. – Hope it’s a waste of money Cohabitants Ole and Stine hope the couple of thousand kroner it cost them to write a cohabitation contract will be a waste of money. – It will be the same as paying for life insurance. Our relationship should last forever, but other things can happen, says Ole.
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More cohabitants, but few cohabitation contracts – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
