Having settled into your new uni house or flat you may start realising you have a problem on your hands. Having bad housemates isn’t uncommon but can be a real pain and you often don’t realise until it’s too late.
It’s easy to get angry and throw a tantrum when dealing with a bad housemate, but it’s always worth trying to find the most peaceful resolution. After all, you are stuck with them all year!
That being said, when necessary, you will need to be firm even if you’re living with close friends. Trust me it’ll stop a lot of future arguments if you deal with a problem then and there.
Unfortunately, not everyone is used to the same levels of cleaning or has the same habits. So, sometimes, you will have to ask multiple times before certain routines are picked up.
So, what kinds of bad housemates might you face? And what are the best ways to deal with them?
The slob
The slob is a common type of bad housemate, and you’ll likely encounter one at University.
Just like the name suggests the slob is messy and will often leave wrappers, crumbs and other general rubbish lying around.
There are also different types of slobs to be aware of:
- The classic slob: This slob tends to leave rubbish around the house from parcels, packaging and the odd dirty glass or mug
- The kitchen slob: wondering who’s dirty dishes have been left for a week? It’ll be the kitchen slobs, they tend to leave plates and cooking utensils out for days and don’t ever wipe down a surface after making a mess.
- The bathroom slob: much like the kitchen slob, their ‘slobiness’ is within a certain space and can include a mess of toothpaste, shaving cream, and hair products within the bathroom.
- (And finally) The all-round slob: the worst type of slob that takes over the whole house, there is not a corner you can look at without finding some of the slob’s clutter or a mess they have left.
Living with a slob can cause a lot of frustration, and it may be easy to resort to passive-aggressive messages or shouting at them.
But before doing either of these, take a breath and approach the person directly. If you nicely ask them to ‘please wipe down the surfaces next time’ or ‘please pick up the rubbish you left in the bathroom,’ they will most likely do so without hesitation.
However, if the same behaviors continue, it may be time to take things a bit more seriously. Try using a firmer tone with them; you don’t have to be mean, but you want them to know you’re serious.
Loud housemates
Having housemates who consistently wake you up in the early hours isn’t just a pain but can affect your university studies.
As you head further into the year, you might find that some of your housemates don’t want to leave freshers behind and end up going out multiple times a week.
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with this – unless they bring the party home with them. Sometimes, they might host ‘afters’, and sometimes, it’s just hard to turn the volume back down after a few drinks.
If this doesn’t happen very often, it’s worth considering making an exception or two. However, if there seems to be a pattern, it’s important to address it straight away.
The best way to sort out this problem is to sit down and establish a noise curfew. This doesn’t only apply to a time of day but also to days of the week.
People will respond better if they feel there is a degree of compromise. So maybe give them Friday and Saturday nights, but ask that weekdays be kept quiet.
Any big exams and deadlines you have are also worth bringing up. You don’t want to risk a bad night’s sleep before something so important.
Freeloaders
Freeloaders are housemates who avoid buying any of the shared amenities such as toilet rolls, soap, washing up liquid, bin bags and kitchen rolls, leaving the rest of the house to cover the cost.
Sometimes it can take a few weeks to notice that a housemate isn’t pitching in but that doesn’t mean it’s too late to sort out.
If you remind them it’s their turn to pick up some bits for the house, they might go and grab what’s needed without any argument. However, some housemates may just refuse.
This is when you might have to be a little bit petty and buy your necessities and leave them where the freeloader can’t get them. After realizing that having to buy all their stuff costs more, you might find they start pitching in again.
Never alone housemate
This housemate always has someone over, and subsequently (as their housemate), so do you. This usually happens when they have a significant other.
It can be all too easy in a university house to move your partner in. After all, your parents won’t be able to tell you that you can’t.
But having someone there, that you might not know too well, can feel like a loss of privacy. It can even stop you from feeling so comfortable in your home.
It can also feel like a bit of a freeloader situation when they use your gas, water, and electricity; they are not the ones paying for it.
Sometimes, it’s hard to explain that while you have nothing against this person, you don’t want them at your house all the time. However, it’s better to say something than let your frustration build up.
Suggesting that your housemate split their time between your house and their guest’s house is a gentle hint that you want some space from constantly having them around.
Food burglar
Starting to feel like some of your food is going missing? You may have a food burglar in your house!
Unfortunately, there are some housemates out there who tend to feel like they can help themselves with other people’s food. What makes it worse is that you won’t always know who it is.
Food burglars tend to commit their crimes when no one is there by sneaking around. So it is unlikely you’ll catch them in the act.
Not being able to prove who did it can make confronting a food burglar tricky. But always start by simply asking if someone has taken something.
If no one owns up, it may be time to sneak in on your own. If you just happen to leave your phone camera on in the kitchen and walk away, you may discover who the culprit is and have evidence to prove it.
Chore avoiders
You’ll come to learn that there’s a list of household chores that are crucial to a clean and functional household. This includes taking the bins out, meter readings and hoovering.
Of course, you will get housemates who try to avoid such jobs which can become really frustrating. Especially if there’s more than one of them!
The best way to tackle this is by creating rotas. This way there’s no question on whose turn it is and if the bins overflow, everyone knows who to blame.
In an ideal world, everyone will contribute but in a world of uni students, you may have to do some nagging first.
Learning how to deal with different people is a key part of living away from home and learning how to take a mature and calm approach will not only help you deal with difficult housemates but will become a skill for you to use throughout your life.
