The Ground Floor Episode 2 - Buying a Home with a Friend with Professor Martin Dixon KC (Hon)

For many people, buying a property with a friend is the only realistic way onto the property ladder. Rising house prices, stagnant wages, and changing lifestyles mean more buyers are making pragmatic decisions rather than romantic ones. What often gets overlooked is how exposed those arrangements can become when friendships break down.In this episode of The Ground Floor, Barrister Blessing Mukosha Park is joined by Professor Martin Dixon KC (Hon), one of the UK’s leading authorities on land law, co-ownership, and trusts of land, to unpack what really happens when friends buy property together and fall into dispute.They explore how the law approaches platonic co-ownership, why so much of the existing authority is rooted in marital and cohabiting relationships, and why the courts often take a very different approach when the parties are simply friends. The discussion breaks down the legal mechanics behind co-ownership, the importance of intention, and the harsh realities that can follow when arrangements are informal or undocumented.From unequal deposits and mortgage contributions, to one friend wanting to sell, exclusion from the property, post-acquisition payments, and the court’s powers under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996, this episode examines the scenarios practitioners see again and again in practice.Whether you are considering buying a property with a friend, advising clients on co-ownership disputes, or working in property or chancery practice, this conversation offers a grounded and practical insight into how the law really responds when friendships unravel.This episode is sponsored by BLESSING AT THE BAR, a platform supporting aspiring and practising lawyers with practical resources, courses, and productivity tools.Topics covered include• Buying property with friends and the rise of platonic co-ownership• Legal title versus beneficial ownership• Joint tenancies and tenancies in common explained• Unequal contributions and how courts assess intention• Orders for sale under TLATA 1996• Post-acquisition payments, improvements, and equitable accounting• Exclusion from the property and occupation rent• Why most platonic co-ownership disputes end in sale• How many disputes could be avoided with proper advice at the outsetNext episode: Blessing explores the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 and the major changes it is set to bring to landlord and tenant law.