My bf of 5 years wants to buy a house & wants me to sign a lease?

[Anne M.]

I have been with my partner for 5.5 years, will be 6 in February. We have been been living together for the past 4 years and have not filed common-law. I had assumed we would file this year as common- law but he had requested for his accountant to do mine separately for some reason. We are looking at buying a house this fall and he has said to me that he will need me to sign a lease as a renter when he makes the purchase since he will be paying the down payment. I am still in the process of paying off student loans and a line of credit at the moment and cannot contribute to the down payment. However we have always split the cost of everything equally (rent, groceries, utilities, insurance) regardless off my mounting debt and the fact that I make significantly less money than him. I am wondering if it is fair for him to ask me to sign this lease to become a “tenant”. I was under the impression that we had plans to marry in the next 2-3 years, what position will this put me in if we do decide to make to get married later on? Or if he decides to kick me out? Will I ever be able to build equity after the fact? Any advise would be appreciated.