cheryl liam payne
Liam Payne (R) and partner Cheryl pose on the red carpet on arrival for the BRIT Awards 2018 Getty

Cheryl is looking for a new home amid her reported relationship crisis with lover Liam Payne.

Despite putting on a united front with the former One Direction star at the Brit Awards last week, Cheryl, 34, has assigned one of her staff the task of visiting an estate agents to find a luxury pad, The Sun reports.

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It comes after the newspaper claimed that Payne, 24, has not spent a night at their house in Surrey since the relationship hit the rocks.

The solo artist, who is enjoying success with hits Bedroom Floor and Strip That Down, sought legal advice to protect his £54m fortune after apparently feeling snubbed when Cheryl rebuffed his marriage proposals.

The couple of two years have been living in a $5m mansion in Woking, Surrey, with their 11-month-old son Bear.

But a source is claiming that Cheryl is keen to move to Barnet in north London, which happens to be near her close friend and former Girls Aloud bandmate Kimberley Walsh's home.

The insider said: "The search by Cheryl's employee has been going on for a while.

"They've got Statons in Barnet involved. They helped Cheryl with her property after she split from Ashley Cole."

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It comes after it was reported they went their separate ways after putting on a loved-up display at the Brits.

The Girls Aloud singer headed to their Surrey mansion while Payne stayed in a budget hotel near Heathrow. The news further fuels speculation that the couple's relationship is strained and they are on the verge of splitting up.

A music source revealed to the publication: "Despite their over-the-top show of affection they went their separate ways. Cheryl headed home to their family home, alone, and Liam spent the night at a dingy airport hotel."

But sources close to the former One Direction singer revealed that early work commitments in the capital meant he had to stay in hotels on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Again on Thursday, instead of heading back to the couple's home in Surrey to spend time with Bear, Liam flew to Miami to shoot a new music video.