Living with another person isn’t just pizza parties and game nights. Whether it’s keeping the noise down, respecting each other’s space, or taking turns with chores, you should also compromise so both can feel at home. But not everyone gets that.
To show how annoying we can be to one other, We collected evidence of bad roommates, shared online by those who had the “pleasure” of knowing them. Some might be more lost than others, but hopefully, these pictures will remind you to pick up your socks and return the drying rack to the closet.
#1 Roommate Tossed Out My Childhood Stuffed Animal
I know I am kind of old to be having stuffed animals but it’s not like I take them everywhere, I have it next to the couch as decorations (or at least one of them, the rest are in my room in my closet).
The dude is a friend of a friend who desperately needed a place to stay and I offered it. It has been the worst month of my life. Glad I’m done with him.
#2 Who Does That?
Last year, the National Student Accommodation Survey asked over 1,000 students in the United Kingdom about the most common annoying housemate habits, and the results might give us a better understanding of the broader picture. The list was:
Leaving dirty dishes out (65%);Not helping with cleaning (55%);Leaving lights/appliances on (44%);Being too loud (44%);Leaving food to rot (41%);Not removing hair from plug holes (31%);Stealing food (26%);Not changing the toilet roll (26%);Leaving windows open (23%);Leaving the toilet seat up (23%);Taking long showers (22%);Moving a partner in (15%).
As we can see, the pictures reflect this pretty well.
#3 Family Member Has Cancer And No Immune System, And Is Largely Bed-Ridden. We Sanitized Her Whole House A Few Days Ago. Came To Pick Her Up And Found This. Told Her Roommate To Move Out Immediately
#4 I Have Asked Her Politely To Stop Several Times Now And My Patience Has Expired
I’ve communicated how much it bothers me, and asked politely several times that she stop draping her fallen hairs on my products. Her shelf is always hair-free and pristine. I’m done asking, just collected every hair she left on my stuff and put in on top of her products. Petty?
#5 Kicked Out My Roommate. This Was His Room, So You Can Imagine How He Treated The Rest Of The House. Really Gross, And Just Really Sad
However, building and maintaining a good relationship with your roommate isn’t so straightforward. “Spending lots of time with another person makes it easy to settle into casual irritability,” said Diana Partington, a licensed professional counselor in private practice and author of ‘DBT for Life: Skills to transform the way you live.‘
“We become reactive to any sign of selfishness or callousness, making it hard to live together … Your behavior changes my behavior, and then my behavior changes your behavior. Going back and forth like this can escalate quickly.”
#6 Roommate Crashed My Car While Borrowing It To Go To Work Then Refuses To Pay Anything Unless I Let Her Continue To Drive It In The Future
#7 Left My Apartment For About A Month Because Of Covid. Came Back To Find This, The AC Set To 40 F, The Sink Running, The Back Door Wide Open And The Roommate Moved Out
#8 The Way My Roommates Makes Beef Jerky
#9 My Mugs Weren’t In The Kitchen So I Checked My Roommate’s Room
But we have to stand up for ourselves — if our roommate repeatedly behaves in a way that negatively impacts our life, we must bring it up.
The secret to talking through conflict with a bad roommate, according to Kat Cohen, CEO and Founder of college guidance company IvyWise, is calling them in, rather than calling them out.
This means inviting our roommate into a conversation about how we can get along better rather than making one-sided accusations.
#10 Flatmate Had A Couple Friends Over, Fine, But He Destroyed My Isolation Made Cheese! These Have Already Been Aging For 2.5 Moths And Were Almost Ready
#11 The Least Hygenic Person I’ve Ever Met Just Moved Out And Left This. It Is Exactly What You’d Hope It’s Not
I will never not have this in my brain. Please help me carry this load. No pun intended.
#12 I Made Dinner For Us And Then Saw This Note When I Went For A Midnight Snack ?
I literally make meals for us at least 9x a week despite us both working the same hours. She never makes food. I am legit the main one who does the dishes because I’m typically feeding the both of us. She gets fast food majority of the time and never does them. She doesn’t have to worry about them because she’s always eating out when I don’t cook for us, but due to the dishes technically being “my fault”, they have to be done within the hour according to her.
#13 Roommate Let His Friend Use My Cast Iron Pan, She Ran It Through The Dishwasher, And Then He Left It In There For Days
“Frame this as a discussion of living policies and how to be a better roommate, and avoid criticizing your roommate’s current behaviors,” Cohen explained.
“Ask him or her if there is anything he or she would like to change about your living arrangement in order to make the conversation feel more like a discussion, as opposed to a personal attack or complaint.”
#14 I’m Tired Of “Communicating”
This girl has had guests over at the apartment for days now and I already told her I wasn’t comfortable with guests staying over for this long. The space is small and we share a shower.
I’m sick of “communicating” with her and nothing happening. She’s also done other stuff like leaving hair in the shower, almost never cleaning the apartment and having her audio at max volume all night.
#15 3 Weeks Ago I Replaced The Vinyl Countertop Covering Because My Roommate Ruined It By Cutting Things Directly On The Counter. I Asked Them To Please Not Do That Anymore. This Is Today
#16 I Gave My Roommate Money To Get A Very Specific Brand Of Toilet Paper When He Went To The Store. He Brought Back This. When I Asked Him About It He Said That They Had The Type I Asked For In Stock, But He Got This One Because It’s Cheaper. He Kept The Change
#17 My Roommate Is The Worst Kind Of Person
By calling our roommates in rather than calling them out, Cohen believes we can make sure they feel respected and invested in making the arrangement the best it can be. By using an approachable and non-threatening tone, we can have a conversation that makes both parties feel good.
#18 What My Roommate Bought For Her Turn To Replace The Dishsoap
#19 My Roommate Is Making Me Go Crazy
#20 Roommate Uses An Air Purifier 24/7 Instead Of Cleaning Her Cat’s Litter Robot. Whole House Smells Like Cat Poop
#21 How Is This Possible
However, to prevent the situation from escalating to the terrible outcomes that we see in the pictures, the late Fredric Neuman, M.D., who was the Director of the Anxiety and Phobia Center at White Plains Hospital, suggested people follow these rules.
Respect your roommate. It would be better if the two of you liked or even loved each other since living together puts a strain on even reasonable people. By respect, Neuman meant certain specific things, such as not eating the other person’s food unless you ask first, not borrowing clothes whenever you want, and not taking the possessions of the other person without asking first.
The wish to study or go to sleep takes precedence over someone else’s wish to play loud music or party — roommates should try their best not to wake each other up.
Follow through on financial commitments so that one roommate does not have to ask the other for rent or payment for other bills.
Chores should be done without having to be reminded.
Do not keep tabs on everything you do for your roommate with the expectation that every favor will be returned.
#22 I’ve Told Them Countless Times To Take Them To The Bin. They Expect Me To Do It When I Don’t Even Eat Pizza
I live with 5 other people in my flat, 3 boys (23, 20, 18) and 3 girls (19, 18, 18) including myself. 2 of them keep leaving their rubbish and pizza boxes on the side.
This is the build up from a month. I’ve asked countless times for them to deal with it, and they never do and never respond – not taking responsibility when I know exactly who it is. Last time this happened I took them out because we had an inspection. This time I want them to own up and do it themselves before we leave for Xmas and as they’re adults.
I do not eat pizza, especially takeaway pizza, I don’t know what to do, I’m sick of living in a filthy environment, but I don’t want to have to keep constantly tidying up after other people, since I’m also the only one who sweeps, hoovers, and wipes down counters and tables.
#23 My Roommate Hasn’t Paid His Part Of The Rent In 3 Months, There’s A Weird Smell Coming From His Room That I Can’t Pinpoint, And I’m Pretty Sure He Up And Left So I Have To Clean It Now
#24 My Brother In Law Is Living With Us, This Is His Room
I hadn’t been in his room since November of last year. But I noticed a foul smell coming from the hallway and finally went to investigate. I am beyond disgusted and I don’t even know how to approach him on this.
#25 What Did I Do Wrong In Life To Have To Deal With This Guy
The rest of Neuman’s rules were:
No sleep-over guests should be allowed unless both parties have already agreed to it in advance.
The inclination to be orderly or messy must be compromised with the other person’s wishes.
If bedrooms are separate, do not go into the other person’s bedroom unless they are present.
If your roommate is of the opposite sex, assume or she does not want to enter into a sexual relationship.
And of course, don’t be rude or insulting, and do not undermine your roommate’s friendships with other people.
#26 My Roommates Put Hot Glue In The Lock On My Door
#27 Roommate Left Us A Present
We didn’t own the house where we were staying; it was a family member’s house. We informed roommate that we were moving out in a month but that roommate was welcome to stay longer after we left to make other living arrangements. Roommate moved out before we did and left a parting gift. Almost 30 times. When confronted about this, roommate just said “yeah I was mad”.
#28 Roommates Keep Cranking The Heat To 32°c/90°f
Is this not absolutely insane? I always wake up soaked in sweat, and no matter how many times I turn it to like 21°C/71°F (which I’m pretty sure is like average temperature for an apartment in any season) they always crank it back up. It’s winter, but 21°C/71°F is not cold at all. I don’t understand.
#29 Bro
#30 My Roommate Uses My Towels To Wipe Her Makeup Off
#31 I’m At My Wit’s End With This Idiot
#32 Roommate Threw A Party Before Moving Out & Left His Mess For Us To Clean. Found His Cooler Full Of Alcohol Months Later
The smell was atrocious when I opened it, but worst of all is that that’s not water. It’s literally a moldy, stinky gelatinous clump. Tips on how to dispose / clean this appreciated.
#33 I’m The Only One Who Cooks In This House And I Have No Room For Groceries
#34 My Boyfriend’s Roommate Doesn’t Wash His Pan Between Uses
#35 My Roommate Flushes Food Down The Toilet And Now It’s Perpetually Clogged
So I’ve had many issues with this lady. This is just one of them. Does anyone else’s roommate do this? Is this normal? Also we live in a historic house so the pipes are old as hell.
#36 My Roommate Defrosts Meat In The Cabinet
So, as straight forward as it sounds: my roommate puts the meat in the cabinet in the morning, leaves for work and in the evening he uses that meat to cook.
#37 Roommate Opens New Bottles Of Water Rather Than Finishing The Ones He’s Already Drank From
#38 Every Day I Clean My Apartment Before Work, By The Time I Get Back It Looks Like This Thanks To My Roommate
#39 My Roommate Made Eggs In All These Pans Instead Of Just Washing One Pan Every Time They Make Eggs. Someone Save Me From This Nightmare
#40 An Actual Text Conversation Between My Roommate And Me After She Woke Me Up At 4 AM
#41 This Is Why I Keep My Stuff In My Room
#42 My Boyfriend Has Told His Messy Roommate Multiple Times That His Overwhelming Messes In Their Public Spaces Give Him Anxiety And Worsen His Depression. He Still Never Cleans
This is all only his stuff in the dining room and living room.
#43 My Roommate Used My Mouthwash And Replaced What He Used With Water
#44 My Roommate Admitted To Using My Mixing Bowl To Soak His Feet While He Had An Ingrown Toenail
“But he washed it after!”
#45 I Hate My Roommate
#46 My Roommate Doesn’t Close Things
#47 Roommate Moved Out Without Warning With 12 Months Left In The Lease, Taking All The Furniture, Won’t Pay His Half Of The Rent, And I Just Got Laid Off Due To Budget Cuts
He’s coming back for the chair tomorrow and it’s my dogs favorite.
#48 This Is The Doing Of One Person: My Roommate
#49 Roommate Using The Air Fryer To Dry Random Sticks And Gumballs
#50 This Is A New Low From My 40-Year-Old Man-Child Roommate That I Can’t Even Comprehend
#51 I Can’t Do This Anymore
I’ve never lived this dirty since college, I ask my roommate to clean this stuff almost every day. He’ll clean up a couple chunks and call it a day, so I’ve picked up the slack for the past year.
If you look closely you’ll see floor crumbs from the day(s) before.
#52 My Roommate (29 F) Puts Her Foot File With A Pound Of Dead Skin In The Bathroom Shelf. How Can I Tell Her Without Creating Drama?
#53 I Finally Got My Roommate To Move Out, But This Is What He Left Me After He “Cleaned”
Friend from high school needed a room to rent, so I let him rent my extra room. I don’t think he ever actually cleaned his room. I hope these floors aren’t too far gone to be refinished.
#54 My Roommate Decided To Help Himself To The Piece Of My Wedding Cake I Was Saving
#55 Half Drank Water Bottles Left In The Fridge By My Roommate. I Can Not Comprehend Why He Puts Them Back If He Knows He Will Never Finish Them?
#56 Just Scrubbed The Stove Spotless, Roommate Immediately Does This And Leaves
#57 My Freshman Year Roomate’s Side Of Our Room
#58 Hanging Raw Meat On The Dish Rack
#59 My Roommate Said This Is The Best Way For Space Economy
#60 Every Day My Dormitory Roommate Will Leave His Clothes In The Shower And I Have To Take It Out For Him
#61 Dormitory Deaf Roommate Used His Phone The Entire Night, Until 5 AM Before Falling Asleep, Preventing Me To Sleep For The Entire Night Because Of The Super High Brightness And His Snores
#62 My Roommate Threw Out An Entire Pack Of Fresh Strawberries Because “One Of Them Didn’t Look Good”
#63 My Roommate Has No Concept Of Respect For Shared Property
#64 Roommate Always Pays Rent In $1 Bills
My roommate works as a bartender, so he gets loads of $1 bills. He usually keeps the bigger bills, and pays rent with the 1s.
I’ve told him various times to please change the bills before paying, but he takes it as a joke. At first it kinda was, but now it’s just annoying.
He’s also late on his rent payment for January. Only paid $200/500 because he has an upcoming birthday trip to Colombia.
#65 My Flatmate Gets A New Teaspoon Every Time He Makes A Cup Of Tea
#66 Normal To My Roomates
#67 My Roommates (Both 30+) Refuse To Do The Dishes They Use
#68 My Flatmate Refused To Clean Up After Cooking Because “He’s Super Busy For An Entire Week”
#69 “It’s So Convenient To Just Clean Them When You Need Them” – My Roommate
#70 Just Washing Our Extension Cords
Not necessarily a bad roommate, but this was interesting.
#71 How To Save My Bonsai? My Roommates Had Put A Cig In My Plant For A Long Time, Despite Being Told Not To Do So
#72 I Leave For The Weekend And My Roomate Uses My Stuff Without Asking
#73 Roommate Is On A Carnivore Diet (Eats >20 Scrambled Eggs A Day) And Leaves Every Pan I Own Like This
#74 Roommate Made A Mess In The Common Area And Refuses To Clean It Up
#75 Roommate’s Boyfriend Moved In And The Hallway Is Becoming An Extension Of Their Bedroom
Moved into a 4bed in BedStuy NYC and have had no issues with anyone until one (22F) roommate’s boyfriend moved in with us. She never spoke to any of us about it. I can empathize with someone who needs a place to stay but it felt very inconsiderate for her to not even mention at all.
My main issue is that between the two of them they probably own 50+ pairs of shoes. Our very narrow hallway is becoming an extension of their bedroom and every pair of shoes you see belongs to the two of them. The black dresser is full of shoes. The wall cubby too.
I want to tell them to find space in their room or get rid of shoes. My bedroom door opens right up to their black dresser and their shoes are on both sides of my door now. Am I making a mountain out of a mole hill or should they be more considerate of common space?
#76 Asked Roommate To Flush The Toilet After The Countless Times That She Has Left It
#77 Every Single Time Roommate Wants A Hotdog, They Buy A New Pack
I even told roommate last night that there was like 5 lbs of dang hotdogs in the freezer. Their reasoning was “But they’re frozen! I don’t want to wait for it to defrost!”
Didn’t bother taking out a pack last night so they could defrost overnight. Still went out and bought a new pack today. Still boiled the brand new hotdogs. Saved maybe 2 minutes of boiling time, wasted 20 minutes to go to the store, wasted another $7 on hotdogs and added yet another half a pack to the mountain of hotdogs in the freezer.
#78 I Asked My Roommate To Feed My Fish While I Was Away And Came Home To This
I told him 2-3 pellets a day, and was gone for 4 days. A quick look at the directions on the food canister would have told him the same thing. He also didn’t clean the cat boxes and came home to the house reeking of cat pee.
I’m furious because he has been jobless for over 6 months and does nothing but play computer games.
#79 Our Vacuum Robot Ran Out Of Cleaner Solution. My Roommate Thought It’s Fine To Just Use Dawn Dish Soap And Water Instead
#80 Roommate Is Using My Hulu To Watch The Game Making Me Not Able To Watch It, I Never Gave Him The Log In
#81 “Not All Dishes Can Be Hand Washed”
#82 My Wife And I Have Roommates. This Is The Lint Trap After We Were Gone For A Few Days. This Was Also The Lint Trap The Last Time We Were Gone. And The Time Before That
#83 My Roommate’s Potatoes
#84 My Roommate’s Dog
For starters, I do like my roommate as a person and I do care for her dog. Moving in the one and only boundary I stressed is train your dog. Her dog is huge and is constantly tearing up the trash and has torn up at least over $500 worth of my items as well as my grief journal I’ve written to my dead fiancé in for the past 5 years.
I drew the line when the dog started going into my room when the door was closed, so now the dog is kenneled when no one is home. She does not clean up after the dog like she should. The floors are constantly covered in dirt and my rug is covered in dog hair. The dog got into the trash when I was sleeping and now I get to wake up to this mess.
Not sure what to do excepted just move out when my lease ends in April.
#85 My Roommate Never Pushes The Chair Back Under The Table But Leaves It In The Middle Of The Room Every Time Until I Push It Back. It Isn’t Something Big, But Mildly Infuriating
#86 My New Roommate Seems To Think This Is The Appropriate Vessel For Yellow Hand Soap. My Ruined Dinner Thinks Otherwise
#87 My Roommate Won’t Let Me Peel Off The Protective Plastic On The Microwave Panel. It’s Been This Way For At Least A Year
#88 Roommate Leaves The Stove On Twice
It is late and right before I was ready to call it a night, I decided to go to the bathroom. Immediately upon opening my door, my nose is hit with a strong scent of gas and I panic. I check the stove and I can see that the stove is on but not lit.
This is the second time my roommate has done this and I’m laying in my bed seething about this. If I hadn’t gotten up surely I would’ve died overnight, yeah?
I genuinely cannot wrap my head around this. How does one even handle something like this?
#89 I’ve Always Been The One Replaces The Toilet Roll, So I Stopped To Test Something. After A Week, Both My Roommates Still Haven’t Replaced It
#90 Roommate Had A Piece Of Pie
#91 This Girl Took Her Roommate’s Mercedes On An 86+ Hour Roadtrip
#92 Roommate Accidentally Melted The Microwave Splatter Guard Onto My Favorite Cast Iron
Apparently the wrong burner was turned on for 10 minutes before she realized.
#93 Roommate Kindly Put My Broth In The Fridge For Me, Which I Had Cooked For 5 Hours
She drained about 3 l down the drain.
#94 Roomate Used My Birthday Candles Without Asking, Tossed The Ones They Used And Left Me 5 Out Of 20
#95 Some Of Us Live With Real Monsters
#96 Am I Right To Be Annoyed That My Roommate Leaves The Floor Of The Bathroom Soaked After His Shower
#97 Every Time My Roommate Changes The Toilet Paper He Puts It In Backwards. Why? Is He A Psychopath?
#98 My New Roommate Takes Eggs Out At Random
