Understanding Home Return in Separation: Legal Guidelines

In the realm of separation with children, the assignment of the right to reside in the marital home, a measure undertaken solely in such cases, is not perpetual. This right ceases when its intended purpose concludes – ensuring that the offspring can continue to grow in the same domestic environment without enduring additional traumas beyond the dissolution of the family unit. With precision, when does the wife need to return the house? When is the right of habitation forfeited? We will clarify this below, utilizing practical examples. When is the house assigned in cases of separation? The court orders the assignment of the right of habitation in the marital home only if:

• The couple has minor children, those with severe disabilities, or non-self-sufficient adult children.
• The spouses have not reached a different agreement.

It is entirely irrelevant whether the couple is married or not. The assignment of the marital home applies to both married and cohabiting couples. The assignment can also cover:

• A rented home (with consequent transfer of the lease).
• A home received in loan from third parties, such as parents-in-law (unless the loan agreement is written and specifies an expiration date).

To whom is the marital home assigned? The marital home can only be assigned to the parent with whom the children are placed, where they habitually live. The court can only assign the marital home and not other residences available to the couple that were not designated as the family’s residence (considering, for example, a second home). When does the right of habitation in the marital home cease?

• Adult child employed
• Adult child not studying and not seeking employment
• Adult child financially dependent
• University student child
• Independent living child