Readers’ forum: Relief on sale of property of couple living separately

My clients Janet and John are in a business and personal relationship.

They have been together for many years but continue to live in their own houses though spending a lot of time together. A couple of years ago they got married but they still continue to live in their own properties. Janet has decided to sell her existing house and move into a new one: John continues to live in his existing house.

How will principal private residence (PPR) work on Janet’s sale? Does the normal rule about married couples only having one PPR between them still apply when they don’t live together? This can’t be a unique situation.

Query 20 145 – Marriage Counsellor.

They should nominate a main residence within two years of marriage.

It is assumed from the query that Janet and John spend time in each other’s houses as well as in...