This Act, which came into effect in February 2002, extends property sharing principles to apply on death, as well as the breakdown of a relationship.
Friday, May 23rd 2003, 12:54PM
by The Landlord
On 1 February 2002 the Matrimonial Property Act 1976 became the Property (Relationships) Act 1976. This Act now applies equal property sharing principles to certain de facto relationships as well as to marriages. To be included under the new Act a de facto relationship must normally have existed for at least three years and the couple must be living together.
The new Act extends the property sharing principles to "relationship property" to apply on death, as well as on the breakdown of the relationship. There is now potential for there to be more than one claimant to relationship property upon death.
