Dating Your Flatmate

Is dating your flatmate ever a good idea? It's easily done. You see each other scantily clad, wandering out of the shower ever morning, and before you know it an element of flirtation has crept into what should be an 'all mates together' situation. You find yourselves in together on a Friday night, you share a bottle of wine, you moan about your dating woes, and hey presto, you're snogging.

And then what? Are you going to start sneaking around the house, hoping your other flatmates don't suss you out? How are you going to cope with the post-coital fall-out, when you can barely look at each other without blushing and stuttering? In my battle-scarred opinion, you're better off joining an internet dating site rather than using your flatmates to prop up your dating life...

But if you're determined to have a go with your flatmate, ask yourself some honest questions. Do you genuinely, 100%, hand on heart, fancy each other, or is it just because it's easy? If you're just in it for a bit of casual dating or how's-your-father, then step away now. There are many dating services that can help you out on that score.

If it all goes wrong, how are you going to feel about still living together - or worse, how are you going to feel when he/she starts dating somebody else? If you start a sexual relationship with your flatmate that suddenly starts feeling a bit more serious, it might be time to talk about one of you moving out, in order to give your relationship a proper chance.

A final word of warning - if you're looking for a new flat-share and are pouring over gumtree and the like, don't even think about using these services as an alternative to online dating! Choosing a new flat on the basis that your potential flat mate is pretty hot is the height of stupidity, and could have you back on the path to homelessville before you've even had time to unpack your suitcase. Ever heard the expression 'don't screw the crew'? Rarely has a wiser phrase been spoke...