25% couples quarrel over joint account

Joint current accounts are a source of frustration for a quarter of couples according to a survey by Abbey.

One in four couples disagree on the rules for managing their account and this leads to mounting frustration and falling out, claims the bank.

While one in five do make purchases which their partner would not approve of without telling them, it seems Britons expect the worst of their loved one, with 24 per cent saying that they suspected their partner was using the joint current account to make purchases for themselves.

Some expenditures were agreed to by a majority of the couples, with 93 per cent agreeing that it could be used to pay for household bills, 83 per cent agreeing to supermarket shopping trips and even 72 per cent using their joint current account to pay for holidays.

With a study by Legal and General showing more households have money left over after paying for bills, the issue of how to spend the extra money is contentious.

Men were more willing to spend money from the joint account to pay for a games console.


Steve Shore, head of banking at Abbey, said: "It’s important that couples are open and honest with each other from the start and discuss exactly what the joint account rules are, to avoid arguments at a later date."