EXCLUSIVE: Scott was “disheartened” by Gia’s constant criticisms of his waterfront property when she stayed the week during MAFS’ Homestays.

According to Gia, Scott’s Gold Coast place was too small and too messy. As far as she was concerned, she “could not live here”.

Scott told nine.com.au that Gia’s complaints only got worse when they were alone.

Scott said Gia’s complaints about his home only got worse when the cameras left. (Nine)

“She pointed out a lot more [problems] when the cameras weren’t there,” Scott said.

“When someone tries to degrade you like that it makes you feel pretty shit to be honest.

“I was a carpenter for 10 years, I built my businesses by myself. I’ve never been given anything, and when you appreciate and value what you buy for yourself and your home and the life I chose to live, I’m happy with it. To have her pick it apart was rough.”

Tensions grew when Gia questioned Scott’s loyalty after she discovered a pink neck pillow in his wardrobe.

“Is that your ex’s?” Gia accused him, thinking because it was pink it must belong to a woman.

Scott couldn’t believe there was ever an issue about the neck pillow but he’s finally come clean.

“That is genuinely my pink neck pillow. I had to go to a wedding in Thailand with my two best friends and they come up to me and said ‘Here, take this’. They had a pink one too because that’s all that was in stock at the airport.”

While the neck pillow was a trivial argument, for Scott, it raised a more important question: Did Gia and Scott have trust in their relationship?

“Why was she even questioning me over something like that?”

Scott had been positive about his and Gia’s relationship up until Homestays Week, but at that point he knew he needed to “pull the brakes”.

“Gia was always convincing me to look for places to move into straight after the experiment, but I realised I can’t move in with her yet.

“I’m not moving until, number one, I’m in love with her because I’m not making someone move states unless I genuinely love the person.

“Number two, I need to see her behaviours change because I don’t like the toxicity she brought to my environment.”

Scott had been drained by Gia’s involvement in drama with her co-stars all season, but was under the impression things would be different when it was just the two of them in the real world.

When he realised things weren’t changing during Homestays Week, the alarm bells started going off.