Well, this is pretty rubbish; apparently 1.8 million UK adults have stayed in a relationship in order to get on the property ladder.
Yep, buying a house is now so hard that some of us are willing to sacrifice our happiness in love to try and get one.
A new report from L&C Mortgages is behind the study. They reckon, more terrifyingly, that over the next five years, as house buying gets harder, this number is only set to rise. Currently, they say, one in 10 people would consider staying in an unhappy relationship if it meant that they could buy a house.
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To be fair, for a lot of us, the mortgage situation is a million miles off. But this problem persists for renters, too. Living situations have got so expensive, it's hard not to start thinking tactically. Even in the rental market, there's a jolly good chance you know people who are staying together because they can't afford a deposit on a new place, or paying for a single room when they've been splitting a double. Then there are the couples that have broken up but who are still living under the same roof for similar reasons.
So what's the answer? Well, sadly, until housing becomes more affordable – which, let's face it, might be never – the only thing you can do to protect yourself is to stay savvy. If you do buy a house with someone, make sure contracts are drawn up and both of you are very, very clear about who walks away with what in terms of ownership. Has the other person been paying rent? Or been contributing to the mortgage? These are not questions you want to answer in a time of emotional turmoil.
For renters, it's about saving. Something easier said than done for many of us. Putting a little aside every month if you can means that, in the event of a break-up, moving into a new place could be SO much easier. No one wants to spend time begging parents, pulling extra shifts and sleeping on the couch in the aftermath of a devastating split.
"It’s so important to think clearly when it comes to such a large financial leap, especially if you’re planning on staying in a relationship just to be able to afford a mortgage or deposit," David Hollingworth from L&C Mortgages says. "Initially putting your feelings aside solves the problem of being able to get onto the housing ladder, but once the deposit has been paid and the mortgage agreed you may face issues down the line.”
And that's today's lesson in adulting over. God, growing up is hard, isn't it?
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