HOUSE PRICE RECORD HIGH

The average house price hit a new record high of £231,068 last month.

The rise was 6.9% in February, strengthening from 6.4% in January in what the Nationwide Building Society House Price Index described as a “surprise” acceleration.

The housing market has been boosted by a stamp duty holiday, which is due to end on March 31.

Dear Coleen

I’ve been with my partner for a few years but, the truth is, I’ve wanted out for a while.

It’s just never felt the right time to do it, though, so I’ve let things drag on and now I’m regretting it.

We’re both in our 40s with children from previous relationships. He’s just been diagnosed with a long-term chronic condition, which is manageable, but nonetheless the news came as a shock.

I don’t want to sound selfish, but how can I leave him now he’s in this position? What will people think of me? I cried myself to sleep the other night because I don’t want to be in this relationship – there’s no passion and I’m not in love with him any more. Can you help?

Coleen says

It’s a difficult situation and, yes, you probably have to be prepared that some people will be judgmental. You know your decision has nothing to do with his diagnosis and it’s the two of you who are important in all of this – not other people. They don’t know the situation like you do.

All you can do is be honest with your partner and if the relationship hasn’t been good for a while, it might not be entirely unexpected. I know if I were in his situation, I’d hate someone to stay with me if they didn’t love me and were only there because they felt they couldn’t leave. Of course it would hurt, but I genuinely wouldn’t want to be with someone who was only there out of some sense of duty or guilt.

If you do leave the relationship, it doesn’t mean you can’t still be there for him as a friend and support him if he wants that.

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