78 Roommates Who Turned Home Into The Last Place Anyone Wanted To Be

Among those who are open to the idea, about a third of 18 to 34 year olds see roommates as a way to fund big goals like buying a home or starting a family. Privacy still wins the day in the end, though. Just 5 percent said they would share a studio or one bedroom with a roommate, and 24 percent said that if they had to share, they would rather live with family in a multigenerational home than with unrelated housemates.

So what actually drives people up the wall? Surprisingly, it is not always money. In a Rent.com survey of 1,900 renters conducted during the pandemic, poor cleaning habits were the top pet peeve for 37 percent of respondents, while only 7.1 percent named a roommate who pays rent or utilities late. Women were more bothered by messes than men, at 40.7 percent compared with 32.9 percent.

That suggests a crusty frying pan abandoned on the stove can irritate people far more than an overdue payment ever will. The same survey also noted that people with just one roommate were extremely satisfied, which hints that fewer cooks in the kitchen may be the secret to a peaceful home.

Of course, cleanliness is only the tip of the iceberg. Wait until you meet the roommates below, who took the dirty dish to dizzying new heights and committed plenty of offenses that no survey thought to ask about. Whether you are currently sharing walls with someone or simply remember it all too well, brace yourself, because things are about to get messy.