Two thirds of Britons still have financial links to former partners, new research suggests.
Survey firm OnePoll questioned a representative sample of 2,000 people aged over 18 for the Debt Advisory Centre. Close to a third of the respondents said they had entered a joint rental agreement with their former partner, and more than 25 per cent had taken out a joint mortgage with them.
Meanwhile, more than one fifth of the people surveyed said they had struggled to reach agreement with an ex-partner on paying off loans and credit cards, while 15 per cent still hold money in a joint bank account with former significant others.
More than ten per cent said they still jointly owned household items like fridges and furniture with ex-partners or spouses.
Six per cent of those surveyed said their finances were so constrained that they were forced to continue living under the same roof following the break-up.
Respondents aged between 25 and 34 were most likely to still be entangled in joint tenancy agreements, loans or credit cards with former partners, while older respondents aged over 55 were most likely to still have joint assets such as bank accounts.
Ian Williams of Debt Advisory Centre said:
“After the break-up of a relationship most people want to have a clean break and move on with their lives. It can be tough to do this if you are still financially linked to your ex. The last thing you want is to find that you are solely responsible for paying loans, credit cards or even a mortgage that you committed to together.”
