Couples who have broken up are being forced to continue living together because of problems with selling their home, a study has found.
A survey by Zoopla found that among home-owning couples who have split up, more than a third are forced to live together for an average of over a year.
Nearly half (47 per cent) said they could not afford to move out, while more than a third (37 per cent) said they had no savings when they broke up.
The figure for the latter rises to nearly half (46 per cent) among women.
The recent rise in interest rates, which came after the Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng announced his mini-budget last month, has resulted in soaring mortgage rates.
This, paired with the ongoing cost of living crisis, is expected to impact house prices and make it more difficult for couples looking to sell their home.
Being forced to remain under the same roof post-break up brings up other issues as well, the survey found.
Nearly three in 10 (30 per cent) described their situation as “awkward”, while a similar proportion said it was “upsetting”.
One in five (22 per cent) said it was “excruciating” to live with their ex-partner. Fewer than 10 per cent of respondents said they were able to remain civil until they were able to live apart.
In addition, around 15 per cent of those surveyed revealed their ex has made things worse by beginning a new relationship and inviting their new partner to stay over.
One in eight people said their situation was a “stand-off” because neither party was willing to move out.
Behavioural psychologist Jo Hemmings advised warring ex-couples that the “most important thing is to stay civil”.
She told the Daily Mail: “This may require a bit of emotional detachment from the situation. It will help with the second step – taking considered, but swift action.
“When you break up, physical detachment from that person is vital. See if you can stay with a family member or a friend for a couple of days to do some real planning and get some perspective.”
Daniel Copley, consumer expert at Zoopla, said: “Buying a home with a partner is a wonderful, exciting experience. But if the worst happens and you do split up, it’s going to be awkward if you’re forced to remain living together.
“There’s also no getting away from the fact that breaking up is expensive, from having to shell out for a new place, to penalty charges for ending a mortgage early.”
He added: “But people can take steps to plan ahead. If you can, save up some money which will allow you to leave the home for a while after a break up and also cover key, immediate expenses.
“In addition, I’d strongly encourage homeowners to protect their share in a property through legal avenues such as a deed of trust.”
