Protect your relationship: The need for life partnership agreements in SA

LIFE partnership or cohabitation agreements are gaining popularity among unmarried couples in South Africa, and it is critical to have these agreements in place in case these relationships sour and couples split up.

- ZELDA VENTER

This is according to Cor van Deventer, a director and attorney at VDM Incorporated in Sandton. He explains that South African law does not automatically grant the same rights to cohabiting couples as it does to married ones.

Van Deventer advises couples to enter into a written, legally enforceable contract, especially since the Domestic Partnership Bill, first drafted in 2008, remains in draft form.

"A life partnership agreement outlines the responsibilities, rights, and expectations of each person, formalising their commitment and protecting both individual and shared interests. It can save a lot of money and heartache if the relationship ends."

He shares a case involving a medical professional and her former boyfriend, who bought a property together. They verbally agreed to split costs but faced complications when their relationship soured.