Research by dating app Badoo previously found that eight in 10 singletons believe a partner who shows red flags can still be a keeper, and that two red flags is the amount that they will tolerate before ending a romantic relationship.

“As a general rule, any more than two red flags and I’d say bow out, but make sure the red flags are truly scarlet coloured,” eHarmony’s relationship expert Rachael Lloyd tells Stylist. “In the early stages of dating, we can see red flags all over the place, because we’re anxious, or lack faith in the dating process.”

When approaching a potential red flag, Lloyd emphasises the importance of listening to your intuition, trusting your gut instincts and not making overly rash or emotional decisions.

“It’s important to distinguish between major red flags which a non-negotiable, and lesser red flags which might be more forgivable. Big reds include if they are clearly not over their ex, if they are unclear about whether they’re truly single, if they are cold and uncommunicative between dates, or if they have a history of cheating,” she says.

However, lesser ones might be that they’re a bit tight, don’t talk about their family much or they want to race into a relationship. These, Lloyd says, are the kinds of red flags that can be modified if you put boundaries in place and challenge them.

Two relationship experts explain how many relationship red flags is too many