How To Live With Your Annoying Flatmates' Bad Habits!

There is a common saying that has stood the test of time and often receives knowing nods when it is uttered: “You don’t know someone until you live with them.”

It is fair to say cohabiting is the acid test of any friendship or relationship. And the truth is, it doesn’t matter whether you are moving in with six complete strangers or with a bunch of friends you have grown up with – their annoying habits, quirks and their reaction to the environment will only be obvious to you once you reside with them.

Think about it – your best friend of the last five or ten years is someone who you probably assume you know inside and out. You’ve been through so much together, the highs and the lows, the road trips, the nights out, the challenges that formative years bring your way.

The good news is, there are soooo many ways of dealing with this situation and bringing harmony to your student accommodation. 

If there weren’t solutions out there, all university students would be living alone! 

With a joined-up, collaborative approach and a give-and-take attitude, you can look forward to a peaceful few years, and emerge with friendships intact at the end of it!

Here are our top tips to help you nip it in the bud and avoid such unnecessary issues with your annoying flatmates. . 

1. Create A Rota

Before you yawn too hard at the mere mention of the word ‘rota’, this is the single-best way to organise your living situation and deal with any issues faced first.

The rota should demonstrate who’ll be carrying out which responsibility, and when they are supposed to be doing it. 

Amanda is putting the bins out on Tuesday. Paul is washing the pots on Thursday. Eric is vacuuming on Sunday. 

The alternative is a daily slanging match along the lines of: “You never do this, I am always doing that, when was the last time you helped with this?” Every roommate’s worst nightmare!

If in doubt, consult the rota. It knows everything and it will save you from losing your deposit to a professional carpet cleaning company!

2. Respect Each Other’s Boundaries

Even if you’ve had a relationship with your flatmates for years, don’t automatically assume that it is fine for you to go bounding into their bedroom.

Everyone needs privacy, even more so when they have never lived away from home before. 

Emotions are running high in the early months of university and adjusting can keep tensions high between roommates. Sometimes, a quiet period of alone time helps to recharge the batteries.

Give people in your flat a little space and chances are, they’ll afford you the same courtesy when you feel like taking a step back.

It’s also polite to keep the music down at silly o’clock in the morning. The last thing your friends want is to be woken up at 3am by someone blasting out The Courteeners.

We suggest investing in a good pair of headphones, so that instead of forcing other people in your flat to dislike you, you’ll be able to enjoy your music and they can enjoy their sleep simultaneously!

3. Chip In For The Essentials

For the most part, it is quicker and easier to buy your own stuff. 

Not every single item in your student accommodation needs to be paid for evenly – that would not be practical. 

However, there are certain household essentials which are essential to everyone, and which were perhaps taken for granted when living with Mum and Dad.

For example, toilet roll, washing up liquid, bin liners, dish cloths and cooking oil all fall into this category, so why not create a kitty which everyone contributes to and which goes exclusively towards these items, or alternatively take it in turns to buy them all?

It’ll save a fair few arguments – we promise.

4. Communication Is Key

If you’re having serious issues with a bad roommate in particular, the best solution to sorting it is through communicating ASAP.

Rather than letting your anger build up over time, a simple conversation could be the turning point in your annoying flatmates habits!

Think about this, your living situation could be made way more difficult if you keep things bottled up and hidden away. Not only that, but you’ll have to tolerate their behaviour for aggggges…do you really need that burden in your life?!

The way you approach the situation and your tone of voice is important to think about. The last thing you need is to be passive aggressive and cause an unnecessary argument!

Knowing this, we suggest that you pull them aside and let them know it’s time to talk. 

Just communicate how you’re feeling and give them advice on what they can do within the flat to help out. 

Make sure to hear out their side of the story so there’s a fair playing field!

5. Don’t Be Two Faced

Please don’t go slagging your flatmate off to your best friends, it’ll only cause more distress and arguments if they find out!

By making a big deal out of it, you could end up not only upsetting yourself, but the other person you’re pointing the finger at.

Like we mentioned before, communicating to your difficult housemates will help to ease these recurring issues. 

However, we do understand that this is actually quite a tricky one to stick to. By having a conversation with others, you’ll be able to find out their thoughts on the situation and exactly how they deal with it. It’s just super important it doesn’t turn sour!

We hope you’ve learnt something from this blog and take forward some of our tips for living with your annoying housemate bad habits! Your mental health is a priority and if they’re really stressing you out because of things such as paying rent, living conditions or dirty dishes, you need to sort it ASAP. If the problem is getting worse, why not make some new friends online? We even have a blog on our best tips right here…check it out now!