Figures recently published by the Office for National Statistics in its General Household Survey 2007 show that married couples are set to be minority as more people choose to live out of wedlock. Currently just half of adults are now married, down almost 10% in less than a decade. The figures also show that 15% of couples who are now living together out of wedlock had previously shared a home with at least one previous partner.

With these figures in mind couples purchasing properties are keen to protect the money they invest in a home. By recommending you to a speacialist team they can help you achieve this through Asset Protection Trust Deed. Their bespoke Trust Deed is a legally binding document setting out the terms upon which the property is owned. The Trust Deed will state the individual shares held in the property, be it in equal or unequal shares and whether or not they are going to be legal owners on the Land Registry title. Their Trust Deed can make provision to protect any lump sum that a party invests in a property and can state that they recover that lump sum in the event the property is sold. It is an insurance policy to ensure everyone can recover what they invest in the property even if that investment cannot be seen on the legal title documents.

The Asset Protection Trust Deed can even cover points such as which party is making what contributions to paying the mortgage or who is paying for improvements to the property. This means that if one party is contributing after purchasing the property they can still make sure that they are given credit for additional payments.

Having an asset protection trust deed prepared will not hold-up the process of purchasing a property.

Entering into an Asset Protection Trust Deed is not limited to just cohabiting couples. You should consider having one prepared if; you are investing in a property which someone else is going to live in e.g. parents helping children get their foot on the property ladder; you have brought a property with a friend; someone is moving in with you and you want to protect that equity you already have in your home; or you are moving in with someone else and you are investing money in their property.