#Awks! Divorcing couples forced to live together while they sell

More than a third of home-owning couples who split or forced to live together due to poor financial planning, research from Zoopla reveals.

Nearly half (47%) say they simply couldn’t afford to move out. And nearly four in 10 (37%) say that they had no savings at all when they and their partner split up, rising to just under half (46%) for women.

Splitting couples are normally forced to live together for an average of 1.3 years after they split up. For 95%, it was at least one month – with just one in 10 (9%) saying they were able to remain diplomatic, nearly three in 10 (30%) saying it was awkward, a similar number (27%) saying it was upsetting and one in five (22%) going as far as to describe it as excruciating.

FINANCIAL STAKES

Behavioural psychologist and author Jo Hemmings (pictured) says that the emotional and financial stakes are high

“When you break up, physical detachment from that person is vital. The next step is to have the ‘big conversation’. What will the living arrangements be? Will one of you move out? Will you try and sell the home? If there are children involved, when are you going to tell them?”

It is critical that you deal with both parties equally and fully when communications are involved.”

Nick Neill (pictured), Managing Director at Ewemove, adds: “For any agent selling a home where there is a relationship breakdown, it is critical that you deal with both parties equally and fully when communications are involved.

“Not least having both their signatures on your Terms of Business, but also in respect of booking viewings, presenting offers and agreeing to inclusions for the sale.

“Relying on the response from one party only is a recipe for disaster. And really importantly, always host the viewings yourself as the agent – don’t rely on either party to do it for you, as if they’re feeling reluctant to sell, you’ll be going nowhere fast, as they’ll put potential buyers off.”