COUPLES are being warned to clarify the way in which they buy property together after a Droitwich man lost an appeal forcing him to pay his former partner £22,500 for making her leave the house he had bought in his own name.

David Southwell had set up home with Catherine Blackburn in 2002 in Charlotte Bronte Drive in Droitwich.

She had been living in rented accommodation in Manchester with her two daughters, having spent approximately £15,000 fitting out and furnishing that property, but had left it to move in with Mr Southwell in Droitwich, spending a further £5,000 of her savings to help improve their new home.

A judge in the Court of Appeal determined that the couple had looked for the Droitwich house together, although Mr Southwell purchased the property solely in his own name, and with his own money.

The couple remained living together at the house in Charlotte Bronte Drive for the following nine years before separating, but Ms Blackburn maintained that Mr Southwell had promised her secure rights of occupation at the house, similar to those she would have had as his wife.

QualitySolicitors Parkinson Wright obtained the Court of Appeal judgement in favour of Ms Blackburn despite the fact that she hadn’t been married to Mr Southwell, or had her name included on any of the paperwork for the house.

A spokesman from the firm said: “This decision is extremely important for both men and women who are living together without any formal agreement regarding property or financial rights.

“We were able to protect the unmarried partner in the Southwell v Blackburn dispute once the relationship had broken down as the recent decision in the case has shown that unmarried partners can still safeguard their financial interests.

“If you are thinking of living together, a co-habitation agreement drawn up by a solicitor in advance may prevent a dispute like this occurring. For those planning to marry in the future, problems can be avoided by a prenuptial agreement.”