Worst roommate habits revealed: These are the things that drive your housemates mad!

Leading room share platform, ideal flatmate, has revealed the worst things you can do as a roommate when it comes to disrupting a harmonious flat share.

ideal flatmate surveyed 1,000 people currently renting a house and asked them – what is the worst thing about sharing with a roommate?

The overwhelming winner was a lack of cleanliness with 32% of people causing a stink over their roommates causing a stink!

If you can’t keep clean, the least you can do is pull your weight, and 22% of people stated that roommates that don’t do their fair share of the housework was the worst thing about sharing a house.

It’s a habit that divides the nation, but people that smoke without consideration for their roommates is the third biggest bug bear (11%), along with not splitting bills fairly (9%), your housemate eating your food (6%) and the amount of time spent in the bathroom in the morning (5%).

Partying, pets, nocturnal exercise and walking around half naked ranked as the least annoying things about sharing a house with roommates.

Co-founder of ideal flatmate, Tom Gatzen, commented:

“While the room share space may have evolved due to the integration of technology improving the speed and convenience of finding a roommate, the things that remain most important to those in a co-living environment remain largely the same as they’ve always been.

People don’t tend to care about your skin colour, your sexual orientation, or what clothes you wear, but the basic courtesies of pulling your weight with the house work, keeping clean, and respecting others are what form the basis of a great house share.

Of course, when you live with someone, there will always be friction points, that’s natural. However, we’ve found that by matching people based on personality, interests and lifestyle, we can reduce the amount of friction dramatically and create a far happier environment for all involved.”

What is the worst thing about sharing with a roommate/s?
Bad habit
Percentage
Poor cleanliness
32%
Not doing their fair share of chores
22%
Smoking in the house
11%
Not splitting costs/bills fairly
9%
Eating my food
6%
The amount of time they spend in the bathroom in the morning
5%
Partying with their friends at short notice
5%
Stinking out the place with the food they eat
4%
Partying with their significant other in the bedroom (sex)
4%
Their pet
1%
Walking around naked/half dressed
1%

Properganda PR

National and local media coverage for property businesses. Journo quotes delivered in minutes.

You May Also Enjoy

Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Autumn Budget doesn’t dampen commercial property outlook for 2026

Demand in both leasing and investment remained in largely positive territory, despite Budget uncertainty Industrial sector continued to lead the way with demand to lease up  11% year on year and demand to invest up 12% 2026 outlook shows positive signs alongside predicted interest rate cuts Demand in terms of both leasing and investment for commercial…
Read More
How to add value to your home
Breaking News

Stabilising house prices and falling mortgage rates offer renewed hope for first-time buyers

Propertymark says forecasts of modest house price growth in 2026, alongside falling mortgage rates, point towards a housing market that is beginning to stabilise, offering renewed hope for first-time buyers, while wider affordability challenges remain. As lenders continue to reduce mortgage rates following improved market conditions, monthly repayments are becoming more manageable for aspiring homeowners.…
Read More
Breaking News

Inheritance tax receipts rise as government performs partial U-turn on relief rules

Inheritance tax (IHT) receipts reached £6.6 billion in the first nine months of the 2025/26 tax year, according to data released by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) this morning. That figure is £200 million higher than the same period last year and continues a steady upward trend that has persisted for more than two decades.…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 22/1/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X. Why are most proptechs Unsaleable? Structural issues rooted in how proptechs are conceived, built, and taken to market stops an exit or IPO   (Thought Leadership by Andrew Stanton CEO Proptech-PR) The proptech sector has matured rapidly over the past decade. Capital has flowed in, incumbents have launched…
Read More
Breaking News

Nationwide extends six times lending to home movers and remortgage

Nationwide enhances support for people looking to move up the property ladder or get a new mortgage deal Five-fold increase in Nationwide loans to first-time buyers at or above 5.5x income in 2025, compared to 2024 Increased first-time buyer support follows regulatory changes to improve affordability Nationwide is today announcing a major boost to the…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News – 21/1/2026

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Jon Cooke steps down as Non-Executive Director at GPEA Jon Cooke will continue to focus on innovation within the property sector Jon Cooke has stepped down from his role as Non-Executive Director at GPEA, the business that owned Fine & Country and The Guild…
Read More