http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8347618.stm

I'm currently buying a house with my girlfriend and under German law, I wouldn't get anything and the kids would be entitled to half of the house - i.e. they could just turn round and sell it from under me.

Whilst my girlfriend wants to protect her children, she also doesn't want to see me thrown out on the street, plus I put in all of the cash for the house - but we are sharing the mortgage payment. Therefore, when we signed the contracts, we made wills at the same time.

My father made a will when he remarried, then his 2nd wife ran away with another man. He then found another girlfriend and they lived together for about 10 years, before he died of a heart attack. The problem was, he hadn't changed his will, all of the money went to the 2nd wife and her children, his girlfriend, my brother and myself didn't get anything! Luckily 2 of the children had strong morals and talked the mother, and possibly the youngest son, into doing the "right thing" and the money was given over to my brother and myself, which we then split with my father's girlfriend.

We were incredibly lucky, that they decided to do the right thing, without having to go to court.

You certainly were

The will thing has been on my mind since my grandmother died recently (I've no idea if she had one, I doubt it, and it wouldn't have made much difference there anyway), but I'd like the certainty of knowing those getting anything of mine actually deserved it - there's members of my immediate family I wouldn't p1ss on if they were on fire... Right now, I'd leave damn near everything to my nephew and he's only three years old

My best mate would be another candidate

It's something I'll consider when I'm older, as there's little point spending the money on starting it now, far as I can see...

That rather depends if you've anything much to leave behind if you were accidentally snuffed out tomorrow. Lots of people die much earlier than they were planning on.

Right now, I'm totally single and if I died tomorrow then my Mum inherits everything. However, should my situation change then I have no intention of leaving things to chance. Of course, I could procrastinate for England so I doubt I'll get around to it as quickly as I should...

I know (and I've actually got a fair bit to leave behind for a 27yo), but dealing with a solicitor is a costly business and I'm trying to save for moving out, so I'm thinking of me and the odds at this point

I've just remembered that should anything happen to me in work, my mum gets the benefits of my pension, such as it is (or will be)

And that's only cos she's the lesser of the evils in my family, and even then there's a good chance she'd share it with them

The on-line services cost about £25

I honestly think that if you're willing to live together and expect to inherit as a married couple, then you should get married. Costs £43.50 down the registry office.

The notion of the traditional marriage has broken down.

IMO if you can't be arsed with getting married, you shouldn't get any of its perks.

Thing is, my sister is going through a divorce at the moment. The initial settlement offer is about one third of the estate. Unless she can raise about £10k to fight it, that might be as good as it gets. Seems odd that a cohabiting couple could end up with more rights than a married person. In fact, her hsubands will stated that the children got the house and any property, and my sister was allowed right of tenancy until the eldest was 18 whereby her tenancy was up to him.

Don't marry into farming families, that's my advice.

Sounds horrendous but this is the kind of situation I think pre-nuptial agreements would be good and is why I want them to carry weight (as per US, the earlier they're done, the more weight they have).

What's wrong with things how they are?

If you want your partner to get the dosh when you die then you either marry 'em or write a will. Simples.

What's wrong with that system?

don't be so sensible!!!

I agree totally. If you actualy care enough about your partner you need to do something and put it in writing. Otherwise tough!!

And in all seriousness, I wish I could have faith in 'em

These "rights" are a stupid idea.
1) You can leave stuff via a will to the person you live with. If people are stupid enough not to make one, that's their own fault.
2) There's been no legal commitment, that's what marriage is. Why should they have automatic rights.

Completely agree with all this. I think people have forgotten what marriage means, hence they cohabit. It has more than just "religious" implications.