HMO housemates reveal their biggest gripes

Student landlords will be able to relate to a recent survey which has uncovered the top irritations driving discord among HMO housemates.

According to COHO, a platform managing HMOs, 40% of shared living tenants admit they've relocated, or considered doing so, due to clashing with housemates.

The study highlights that untidiness tops the list of grievances, frustrating those striving to maintain order while others ignore the chaos.

Following closely is the reluctance to share household chores, leaving some to shoulder the burden alone.

HMO housemate matching

Vann Vogstad, the firm's founder and chief executive, emphasises the need for better housemate matching and said: "Let's be honest, you can be the best of friends or even a long-term couple and you're still going to have moments where living together causes a bit of friction.

"Being in close quarters does that to a relationship, but if such instances are few and far between, it's never really a problem.

"The issues arise when you find yourself living with people who do your head in more often than they don't, and the risk of this happening is much higher when you end up living with a bunch of randoms having been given no proper opportunity to get to know them."

He added: "This is a problem that has haunted the HMO market for far too long because so often you have to pick a property before you've had any real chance to understand who you're going to be living with and whether your personalities are a good match."

Students living with workers

Mr Vogstad continued: "That's why we believe putting housemate compatibility front and centre of the property search is vital – allowing potential new housemates to get proper insight into the ages, lifestyles and interests of the people they're going to be living with.

"Never again will a student find themselves living with a group of stuffy 9-5ers, and nor will a nursing student be desperately trying to get some good sleep before getting up at 5am for a placement, only to be kept awake by their housemates playing a raucous drinking game in the next room."

"If, as our survey suggests, 40% of people will move out because they don't like their housemates, that's going to cause of a lot of unnecessary void periods and time-consuming tenant searches that could easily have been avoided."

HMO housemate tensions

The study also highlights that differences in entertainment choices, particularly films and TV shows, ranks third, creating tension in communal spaces.

Other notable irritations include housemates neglecting to replenish shared essentials like toilet paper or milk.

They also hate housemates staying up late, hosting unapproved guests and pilfering food from shared kitchens.

Indoor smoking, disruptive night-time activities audible through walls, and relentless loud music complete the top 10 complaints.

Who housemates share with

COHO's data reveals that 49% of tenants share homes with five to six others, while 23% live with three to four, 15% with seven or more.

Just 13% are living with one or two housemates.

Strikingly, 86% of respondents live with strangers, with only 14% cohabiting with familiar faces, amplifying the potential for friction.

Despite these challenges, 74% of tenants report harmonious relationships with their housemates, leaving 26% grappling with ongoing tensions.

The survey underscores how these irritations can erode happiness and comfort, prompting significant life changes like moving out.

Student landlords should encourage compatibly

For the UK's student landlords, prioritising housemate compatibility can reduce tenant turnover and minimise void periods, says Simon Thompson.

He's the managing director of Accommodation for Students, and he said: "It's like casting a play, get the right mix of tenants, and your student house runs like a dream; get it wrong, and you're dealing with a range of issues.

"By encouraging tenants to consider who they are living with, landlords can create stable, harmonious households, saving time and costs."

Mr Thompson adds: "Let's face it, student landlords will know that a happy house is a full house - and that brings less stress."