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

Letting Agent Talk

29 is the age house sharing becomes ‘embarrassing’

but 11% still do it, according to new Nationwide research That equates to 27 million admitting they have felt embarrassed about their living situation With 69% saying living alone is unaffordable, it’s no surprise the average age of those in house shares is 35 From moving home (12%) to living with an ex (10%), as…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

1 in 5 London Homes Listed in Last 30 Days

The latest research from London lettings and estate agent, Benham and Reeves, reveals that one in five homes currently for sale in London have been added to the market within the last 30 days, as sellers respond to strong buyer demand. Demand for London homes is strong Benham and Reeves has analysed current residential property…
Read More
Commercial Agent Talk

Biggest block management headaches revealed

The latest insight from property management specialist, Rushbrook & Rathbone, has found that utilities, cleaning and gardening are the most common block management requirements, accounting for almost two thirds of all call-outs and maintenance tasks carried out in 2025. Rushbrook & Rathbone’s internal data shines a light on what most frequently drives costs when it…
Read More
Home and Living

Invasive plants could be damaging your property

What every homeowner needs to know. Invasive plants growing in your garden could be causing serious and costly damage to your property without your realising. Some species can undermine foundations, cracking patios and driveways, and spreading rapidly beyond your boundaries, potentially leading to disputes with neighbours. The financial impact can be significant. Left untreated, these…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Rents stand still at start of the year for the first time since 2017

The average advertised rent of homes outside of London remains flat (0.0%) at £1,370 per calendar month, the first time since 2017 that there has been no rise from Q4 to Q1: Average advertised rents in London rose by 0.7% this quarter to £2,736pcm Average rents outside of London are still 1.6% higher than this time last year, though this is the lowest this figure has been since 2018…
Read More
Breaking News

London estate agents represent best value added

The latest research from AgentWise, the agent community helping to support estate agents through global collaboration and market insight, has found that London estate agents represent the best value added during the transaction process when compared to many other global property hotspots, with the average commission earned per property sitting well below other major global…
Read More