Money and bills are the most serious source of disagreement among people in shared homes, according to a poll of 2,000 adults who have lived in a shared home in the last decade. The research found 32% ranked financial disputes as the area they take most seriously, while 53% said they had lived with someone who did not pull their weight financially.
Common housemate frustrations
The survey also identified the biggest house-share 'icks', with not cleaning up after cooking, leaving the bathroom dirty, and leaving dirty dishes in the sink for days topping the list. Other common complaints included being noisy at night (24%), not contributing to chores (22%), and not paying bills on time (18%).
Overall, 95% of respondents said it was important to get on well with the people they live with, yet 84% admitted life with housemates is not always plain sailing. Regular arguments about hygiene (25%) and cleaning (20%) were also reported.
Financial disputes and smart meters
The data, collected by OnePoll, showed 31% of respondents often had to talk to housemates about financial disputes, and 28% regularly needed to chase them to pay bills on time. As many as 78% said having a way to track how much energy they were using in their shared home would have helped reduce arguments over bills.
Among those who had a smart meter in their shared space, 84% said it was useful for monitoring energy costs. Comedian and writer Fern Brady, who said she has lived in over 20 rented homes, commented: "Arguments about money and bills can really get under people's skin, but it doesn't have to be that way." She added that a smart meter can help renters "feel more in control of their energy use."
Victoria Bacon, a director at Smart Energy GB, said: "Smart meters take the guesswork out of energy bills by giving households a clearer picture of their usage and they can help housemates stay on top of bills. If you rent privately and the bills are in your name, it's your choice to request a smart meter from your energy supplier."
