How To Deal With Annoying Flatmates at Uni

University! It's arguably one of the best times in your life. It's a crazy, brand new life experience where you grow and develop as an individual. You connect with people that will turn into lifelong friends - some of you may even be lucky enough to find the love of your life. 

Well, that’s one scenario. 

Another is the rude, dirty and loud flatmates you might live with. Now those problematic people will definitely put a downer on your uni experience! 

Having issues with your uni accomodation or flatmates is basically a right of passage. Sadly, most of you will go through it and have to find a way to deal with it. 

We know, super annoying! But these problems are very common and have been happening for years so don't worry your pretty little head about it - we're here to help. 

We have a couple of handy hints and tips on dealing with those pesky flatmates, so you can spend more time stressing on things that really matter, like where you're going to pre-drink or how you're going to write a 2,500-word essay in 3 hours. 

Don't say we don't have your back! 

But before we get into our top tips for dealing with annoying flatmates, let’s take a moment to appreciate all the different ways in which housemates can be annoying…

Late for rent.

Let's talk about rent, baby! 

Unfortunately, money conversations are always awkward, whether you’re a student or not. So we know how uncomfortable it can be when you're living with a person who isn't doing their part when it comes to the rent.

Do you have a roomie that's late with rent yet always has new parcels being delivered or spends crazy money on a night out? We feel your pain! 

One way to deal with this is to have a reminder one week before the final rent date. This gives your flatmate a gentle reminder to get their s*** together without you being too pushy. After all, you don’t want to be the annoying housemate (more on this later). 

It might feel a little like you're babysitting, but someone has to do it, and if this means you don't have to deal with an annoyed landlord, just bite the bullet.

The food thief.

Food! Glorious food! Even though food is potentially the best thing on earth, it can also be a major issue when living in student accommodation. Depending on the number of people in your flat, you might have 1, 2 or maybe 3 fridges to share between you.

But, sometimes, maybe on a drunk night or a really broke week, someone in your house might develop something we like to call "sticky fingers". This is where your flatmate would go into your fridge section and take a couple of bits and bobs. 

It could be down to a drunken mistake or simply that your leftover stir fry is just too irresistible. Whatever the reason, it's annoying for you.

Now, sticky fingers, aka the food thief, shouldn't be taking your food without asking or replacing it. But how do you handle this situation? 

First, be firm and straightforward as they need to know that it's not okay. You're 100% in your right to feel annoyed but stay calm. It might have been an honest mistake if it was the first time. However, if it happens again, don't be afraid to ask them to replace the food. 

The annoying one.

Introducing... 'The Complainer' aka 'The Nagging Nancy'. Someone who constantly complains and is nagging you for every small thing you do, from the food you eat to your sleeping patterns, who your friends are and how much work you do, the list goes on.

You're probably used to your parents or teachers nagging you, but you're probably not expecting it from your flatmate. 

Nobody asked for your opinion, Helen. 

Now, onto the bit you’ve all been waiting for…

How To Deal With Student Accommodation Issues And Bad Flatmates

Calm before the storm.

Usually, everyone is excited and hyped up when they first come to uni and move into their accommodation. The joy and freedom of leaving your parent's house, that beautiful student loan hitting your bank account, the 24/7 clubbing and deliveroo orders - it's basically paradise with your new mates for the first week or so. 

But when all that party dust and excitement has settled, and the first wave of that famous freshers flu has kicked in, all those mates that you thought were great (ooh, that rhymes) start showing their true colours and dirty habits. 

Then the chaos starts for real.

Prevention is better than cure.

Now before we let you chill with the big boys and get in on the secrets to dealing with annoying flatmates and their dirty habits, let's talk basics... more like common sense. 

Before going crazy and cussing them out, the first thing you should do is... drum roll, please ... have an open, calm conversation. Not lecturing them or having a go, just some open dialogue where you can calmly discuss your issues. You're adults now (believe it or not). You need to reach a compromise.

It's also nice to give your flatmates the benefit of the doubt - their upbringing might have been different from yours. So, your first line of defence needs to be having an open conversation.

Reading this, you may be living in student accommodation with up to 7 people in 1 flat, you may be living in private accommodation with one or two other students or even sharing a room. Whatever the situation is, you should have a flat meeting where everyone can discuss the basic rules of keeping the space tidy so everyone is happy.

Create a cleaning rota, lay the ground rules of when you can have parties (not in exam season, ok) and get a clear plan in place to avoid any misunderstandings. 

Don’t let it fester.

Okay, so you've got a problem that's irritating you in your flat. The best thing to do is address it head-on. Talk about it straight away, don't leave it going on for weeks to marinate - you're not cooking chicken here, people. 

If you leave it too long to discuss, you might end up exploding and making things ten times worse. Who has the energy for a massive argument when you can have a conversation? Just sort it out and avoid conflict.

You should be thinking about the main question, "how do I go about this?". You might have even spoken to the cheeky flatmate before, and they haven't listened. (At least now you know how your parents feel.)

The best way to approach them is to be confident yet calm. Have an open conversation without any anger or attitude. Tell them what the problem is, how it affects you, and the possible solutions to avoid it happening again.

Don't have a conversation if you're just going to complain and moan - have a solution!

Enjoy your uni experience!

So there you have it. 

We really hope we've imparted some sound wisdom to you and that you're feeling a bit more confident about dealing with those annoying flatmates. 

Remember, keep an open mind, stay positive and don’t let ‘em get you down. Disagreements will always happen in life, but now you’re a pro at handling them.

Now, go get yourself a bev.