November 18, 2015

Parents could be behind an increase in pre-nup enquiries

Previous studies have credited the increase in prenuptial agreements to media coverage or the fact that they carry more weight in UK courts than they once did (even though they’re still not legally binding.)

However, it is starting to become apparent that it is often a bride and groom’s parents who are in fact putting pressure on their children to draw up an agreement.

With house prices soaring it is becoming increasingly common for people to help their children get a foot on the property ladder.

But parents are worried that if the relationship eventually breaks down, a large share of the money they have handed over will go to their child’s partner.

In an attempt to “protect” their investment, they’re urging couples to agree to a pre-nup.

Tony Roe, from the Law Society’s family section advisory group, said it was increasingly common for parents to actually contact solicitors to ask about the arrangement on behalf of their children.

Mr Roe, who is also a member of the Law Commission, a body which has previously advocated making the agreements legally binding, said: “Pre-nups are not like the movies.

“Prenuptial agreements are carefully crafted documents with significant legal implications.

“The law in England and Wales is very different from the United States or mainland Europe. There are a lot of public misconceptions about these agreements.”

To find out more about the family services we provide, please contact Patrick Hart from our Family Law team today.

Share on: