Log in or register
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 16 NOVEMBER 2011

Court Rules On Unmarried Couples' Property Rights

DMH Stallard LLP
DMH Stallard LLP
Contributor
DMH Stallard LLP

DMH Stallard LLP

DMH Stallard delivers successful outcomes for businesses and individuals by providing tailored...

View firm profile
Explore more from DMH Stallard LLP

Judgment giving 90% of house to woman who paid mortgage for 13 years has implications for millions of unmarried couples in England and Wales.

United KingdomLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Mark Smith
Mark Smith
Judgment giving 90% of house to woman who paid mortgage for 13 years has implications for millions of unmarried couples in England and Wales.

A Supreme Court judgment this week, which awarded Patricia Jones the overwhelming share of an Essex bungalow, has redefined the property rights of unmarried couples and has triggered calls for legal reform. Patricia Jones was challenging a Court of Appeal ruling which gave her former partner Mr Kernott an equal share of the home's value.

The decision by 5 Supreme Court Justices makes it clear that even though a property is registered in joint names , judges are permitted to substitute a fairer division of the shares in the property.

In this case, the couple bought a house in 1985 in joint names and took out a joint mortgage  The parties separated in 1993 after sharing the home for 8 years. When Mr Kernott moved out, Ms Jones continued to pay the mortgage.

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

Related Articles

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

Related Comparative Guides

See more popular content from

Article

Game Developer And Publisher Battle Over Step In Rights

A High Court ruling examines a contentious dispute between a video game developer and publisher over milestone-based funding and "step in" rights for the first-person shooter Six Days in Fallujah. With over $50 million in development costs at stake and allegations of conspiracy to acquire proprietary source code, the court declined to grant either party interim control of the game's development, leaving both sides without the "keys to the kingdom" pending a full trial.
United KingdomLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Lewis Silkin
Lewis Silkin
Article

Meta's $18 Billion Settlement: Reckoning Or Managed Exit?

Meta has agreed to pay up to $18 billion over 10 years to settle claims by 52 US state and territory attorneys general in the largest state consumer-protection settlement in American history outside tobacco. The settlement imposes binding child-safety obligations including time limits and age assurance, but leaves the core algorithmic feed unchanged and raises questions about whether this represents genuine accountability or a commercially managed outcome.
United KingdomLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Mishcon de Reya LLP
Mishcon de Reya LLP
Article

LNG Charterparty Hire Formula: Meaning Of JKM–TTF Pricing Spread

The Commercial Court ruled on a USD 29 million dispute over an LNG carrier charterparty's index-linked pricing formula, determining whether the "JKM-TTF spread" operated bidirectionally or only when JKM exceeded TTF. The decision examines how unprecedented market conditions—where European gas prices surged above Asian prices due to the Ukraine war—tested the contractual formula's application and whether rectification could remedy an alleged drafting oversight.
European UnionLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
CMS Wistrand
CMS Wistrand
Video

One-Punch Manslaughter – When A Single Blow Kills (Video)

A split-second decision can change lives forever. In one-punch manslaughter cases, a single impulsive blow, perhaps thrown in anger, fear or misguided bravado, leads to a tragic death. These ‘death by a single punch’ incidents are more common in the UK than many realise. Dozens of families every year are left devastated, with one family grieving an unimaginable loss, and another family shocked and fearful as their loved one faces a homicide investigation for an outcome no one intended. It’s a tragic reality, one moment of anger, one fatal assault involving a single blow, and two lives (and families) ruined.
United KingdomLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Olliers Solicitors
Olliers Solicitors
Article

New Subscription Rules Are Coming: Is Your Business Ready?

Businesses and consumers have grown to love subscription models, though their reasons may differ. While these models offer convenience, they can be complicated and difficult to exit. This may lead to consumers paying for services they no longer want or use. The government is addressing this through the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. The new rules are expected to come into force in January 2027.
United KingdomCorporate/Commercial Law
DMH Stallard LLP
DMH Stallard LLP
Article

Government Proposes Targeted Biodiversity Net Gain Reforms For Minor, Medium And Brownfield Development

The Government has published its response to the 2025 consultation on improving the implementation of biodiversity net gain (“BNG”) for minor, medium, and brownfield development in England. The proposed package of targeted reforms are intended to reduce disproportionate cost and administrative burdens on developers while retaining the core requirement to deliver a minimum 10% net gain from most development.
United KingdomGovernment, Public Sector
DMH Stallard LLP
DMH Stallard LLP