£13,500 IS THE COST OF A BROKEN HEART
(30 March 2006)

When a relationship breaks down, it is not only the heartstrings that can be strained. Research from Alliance & Leicester Personal Loans shows that splitting up from your sweetheart can not only be emotionally difficult but also a financial burden, with the cost of starting a new life outside of that relationship potentially lasting a lot longer than it takes to mend a broken heart. While recent celebrity break-ups have involved astronomical seven figure settlement deals, the cost of setting up home again and replacing any jointly owned items in the UK is a lot more modest, but is still thought to ring-in at over £13,500.

Only 1% of those surveyed, who have made joint purchases in the past, have considered signing or have signed a contract to detail how their purchases would be divided following a split. Three per cent have verbally agreed what they would do if the relationship were to end, but a massive 92% assume they would be able to divide goods fairly after a split or have optimistically never even thought about it.

The research found that that one third of people (33%) said that they would only make joint purchases with a partner if they were married to them, and nearly half (47%) only if they were in a long term relationship.

The research also showed that Brits are prepared to make significant joint purchases together when in a relationship, with nine out of ten (89%) people making major joint purchases with their other half.

Other findings showed that:

• almost two thirds (63%) have bought a bed together during a relationship
• over half (55%) have jointly bought a car
• over half (56%) have splashed out on carpets with their partner
• almost 6 in ten people (59%) have bought an expensive fridge freezer together
• only 55% of people have bought CDs or DVDs together
• and over a third (36%) have taken on pets – which is a lot more than just a financial commitment.

Claire Alvey, Personal Loans Manager for Alliance & Leicester, commented: "It is understandable that most couples buy things together, whether it is a major purchase like a new car or minor purchases like CDs or DVDs, without thinking about what might happen if one day they split up.

"However, if a couple separate it is going to be hard on the wallet as well as the heart. There are serious emotional issues that are quite rightly are at the top of the agenda, especially if children are involved, but the cost of splitting up can last longer than the heartbreak itself."

Anyone taking out a personal loan to help them set up home again could be set for even more heartache if they don’t choose the right deal. Alliance & Leicester reveals that choosing a personal loan with a higher interest rate from a big bank, could put unnecessary strain on their purse-strings by paying over £1,400 more in interest than with a low rate personal loan.

Claire Alvey continued: "Many people will need to borrow money to help them start afresh and replace any items bought jointly which the other half has kept. Splitting up is never going to be easy, and in an attempt to ‘move on’ from the relationship it would be easy to choose the wrong deal.

"By choosing a personal loan with an uncompetitive interest rate people could overpay by more than £1,400. This could be even more costly if they decide to use more expensive store cards or credit cards to make essential purchases. This overpayment could seriously affect your ability to enjoy your new single status."

Taking out a low-rate personal loan to help get back on track after a relationship break-up, can be a viable option. A personal loan gives the discipline of monthly repayments, a defined ‘end date’ to the debt and low monthly repayment plans.