An overwhelming majority of renters deal with common house sharing gripes – from dirty dishes to indoor vaping – though few are willing to admit they could be responsible, new research from Barclays shows.
While these ‘housemate horrors’ often lead to passive-aggressive coping tactics, they are also prompting renters to consider their options and take the first steps towards getting on the property ladder.
Nine in 10 Millennial and Gen Z renters (88%) report that they have clashed with housemates over shared-space etiquette. However, only a third (33%) admit they could be a ‘horror housemate’ themselves.
Many of the age-old frictions that come with house sharing remain a challenge, with playing loud music or watching TV at unsociable hours (30%) and dirty dishes, mugs or cutlery being left in the sink (29%) topping the list of complaints among Millennials and Gen Zs.
However, new modern irritations are emerging. One in five young house-sharers (19%) have lived with a Nocturnal Gamer, whose late-night sessions disturb others, while 17% say they have shared with a Persistent Puffer, who regularly vapes or smokes indoors.
Meanwhile, 18% of Millennials and Gen Z have had to endure WhatsApp Micromanagers, who bombard the house group chat with endless reminders or passive-aggressive messages, and 12% have navigated the awkwardness of Serial Snappers, who constantly film social media content in communal areas.
Millennials have a particular gripe against Permanent Plus-ones – those who let overnight guests overstay without chipping in for bills – experienced by 27%, while 21% have lived with Blender Blasters, who fire up appliances at all hours. Meanwhile, 18% of Millennials have had to put up with Trend Talkers – housemates who never stop obsessing over gossip, online hype, or the latest must-know topics.
These flatmate frustrations are driving many renters to seek their own space. Six in 10 Gen Z and Millennial house-sharers (62%) plan to leave their current house-share within the next 12 months, having run out of patience with dirty dishes, overflowing bins and all the little annoyances that come with communal living.
Two thirds (65%) would rather pay more to live solo, and seven in 10 (68%) say house-sharing has made them more determined to buy their own home. Nearly half of renters (45%) have already started researching mortgages or first-time buyer schemes to help them reach their goal sooner.
Surviving shared living
Two thirds of house-sharers (64%) say that ‘horror housemates’ have cost them money by not paying their share of bills, communal costs or damages. For those impacted, the costs add up – with sharers reportedly having to fork out an extra £553.20, on average, each year when living with a horror housemate.
As a result of ‘horror’ habits, almost nine in 10 (86%) young house-sharers have resorted to passive aggressive tactics to retaliate against their fellow sharers. This includes moving belongings left strewn around into inconvenient places for the culprit to find (29%), using the ‘silent treatment’ (27%), rearranging items in a way that points out a housemate’s mess (26%), and letting the washing-up pile up to make a point (21%).
Almost a quarter (24%) admit to leaving notes or subtle hints around the home instead of addressing issues directly, and nearly a fifth (17%) have even deliberately delayed taking out the rubbish until the smell forced their flatmates to notice.
Parents lose patience
It’s not just renters who think they couldn’t possibly be the problem – parents feel the same way. Only 11% of parents with house-sharing children suspect their offspring might actually be a horror housemate themselves. Meanwhile, more than half (51%) of parents worry about their child living in a shared house. Over a fifth (22%) of those with a house-sharing child would rather help their child buy a home than see them continue renting, while a further 20% wish they could assist but simply don’t have the funds available.
Young renters are ready to take their parents up on offers of help. Two fifths (42%) are considering moving back in with their parents to escape tricky flatmates, and over a third (35%) are seeking financial support from family to break free from a house-share nightmare.
Jatin Patel, head of mortgages, savings and insurance at Barclays, said: “House-sharing is a rite of passage for many young adults, but the reality of splitting bills, chasing rent payments and covering extra costs due to housemate issues is making young renters think more seriously about their own financial future.
“It’s no surprise so many renters want to explore how they could buy a place of their own, but saving for a deposit is the main barrier they face. While families often want to help, they can’t always afford to gift money, so Barclays Mortgage Boost bridges that gap, helping first-time buyers turn aspirations about ‘one day owning a place’ into a real plan for home ownership.”
