Most successful relationships are grounded on some basic building blocks. Get them right and it is a relationship that you can enjoy and cherish. Get it wrong and misery awaits.

So what can you do to get it right?

Centre your questions around three things – values, communication and ability to resolve differences. I was quoted in an article in the Cosmopolitan in which I suugested some of the questions you could ask your partner to get to know them at a deeper level.

The responses will be indicative of a value system that will underpin them. You are not looking for someone who is like you but if you do not have a similar value system then that might mean that a conflict awaits in certain circumstances. On the other hand, if you have a common value system then disagreeing over specifics makes negotiations easier.

Family, finances, children and faith (or the lack of it) I find are the most common grounds of conflict amongst partners. It is better to talk about these things at the start of the relationship rather than have them tear you apart after spending many years together.