A Contracting Out Agreement is essentially a legal agreement between a couple that says: “We want to decide for ourselves how our property will be treated, rather than relying entirely on the default rules under the Property (Relationships) Act.” It allows couples to “contract out” of the standard equal-sharing rules which sounds very formal and dramatic, but in reality it is often just a practical conversation about expectations and fairness.

Think of a Contracting Out Agreement as a way of insuring your property from relationship property claims in the event of a separation.

After signing your Contracting Out Agreement, there are things you need to make sure you regularly do if you want it to remain valid.

Contemplating your death is not something anyone relishes which is possibly why so many people put off completing their will or updating it.