Why You Should Never Date Your Flatmate

It’s Valentine’s day and love is in the air, or apparently not if you live in a flatshare across the UK.

We asked 1000 people on our site and found that only 11% of people have been in a relationship with their flatmate. Now, before you start thinking that living in a flatshare is like living in an ancient convent, our survey did show that a much higher percentage (32%) admitted to having a crush on one of their flatmates or would consider dating one.

We also found that flatsharers in Leeds are most likely to find love with 27% of people admitting to having dated their flatmate, followed closely by flatsharers in London (14%). However, people living in flatsharers in Manchester or Birmingham almost completely rule out the idea with 97% of Manchester and 96% of Birmingham flatsharers voting against dating their flatmate.

No matter where you live or who you live with, we can only recommend that our single users use flatsharing as an opportunity to make friends rather than make love. Here are 7 reasons why dating a flatmate is always a BAD idea:

1. My friends love our PDA!

Depending on your situation, you need to think about all of your roommates. How will they feel about the altered chemistry of a relationship? Remember that they didn’t move in knowing that you were a couple so they may not appreciate seeing you snuggled up on the couch every night.

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2. Wow this is intense…

Sharing an apartment with your partner may sound like a great idea but remember that your relationship will get much more intense, quickly. Moving in together is a stage that many couples don’t reach until they have been dating for quite a while, and so you need to be totally sure that you’re prepared for it. While at the beginning it can be nice having your partner there all the time, after a while it may prove to be too much.

3. Say goodbye to pyjama days!

When you start going out with someone, it’s natural to want to look your best around them and make a special effort. However, this could potentially be a problem if you live with someone – unless you feel super-comfortable around them from day 1 (lucky you!), pyjama days may well become a thing of the past for the foreseeable future.

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4. Awkward…

If you end up fighting (which let’s face it, you most likely will at some point) and see each other every time you leave your bedroom, it can lead to a very uncomfortable atmosphere, for you and everyone else in the apartment. You also won’t be able to vent about your arguments to your other roommates – well you could, but this would probably make life even more awkward!

5. Let’s talk about money

From your salary to your lack of budgeting skills, are you comfortable to share your financial situation with your roommate/partner? Talking about money often raise problems with a friend. And money matters the most between housemates! Imagine now if one of you have “forgotten” to pay the rent…

6. The Married Couple Trap

When living together, one week can feel like ten years. From what was casual post cocktail hook-ups to buying matching sets of Le Creuset. Then before you know it, one of you will forget to put the lentil tin in the recycling box and all hell’s broke loose.

7. Dating a flatmate: the breakups

Relationships are fragile beasts. And with roomie couples, the steaks are even higher. Imagine the two of you breaking up and still having to live under one roof. Do you think you both can go on acting as if nothing ever happened? Not to mention the first time one of you stumbles in from a night out with someone else around their arm. Walls can be thin, y’know

If you start to feel butterflies every time you see your roommate, you need to step back and think of potential consequences. Is he/she really worth it?