Protecting What Matters After a Short-Term Relationship Ends

Lawyer-in-charge: Melina Manna

In matters of property settlement, the length of a relationship doesn’t always reflect the complexity of financial entanglement. Our client found himself in a difficult position after the end of a short-term relationship where a shared property had been purchased. Despite the brief nature of the partnership, he had contributed the majority of the deposit while both parties shared the ongoing mortgage repayments and expenses equally.

At first, an informal agreement had been reached regarding how the property would be divided. However, once Coutts formally engaged with the other party to finalise the agreement, negotiations quickly broke down. The other party attempted to renegotiate terms, placing our client’s financial investment and future plans in jeopardy.

With emotions and assets on the line, our Family Law team provided steady legal guidance and strong advocacy. We carefully balanced assertive negotiation with a pragmatic approach to avoid escalation while prioritising our client’s rights. In the end, our client successfully retained full ownership of the property.

This outcome not only protected our client’s original contribution but also allowed him to move forward with financial clarity and confidence, an ideal resolution to what could have become a prolonged and costly dispute.