Nearly half of UK adults who live in shared homes regularly fall out with their housemate, according to research.

And exactly a quarter have rowed over how to decorate their shared space.

A poll of 1,000 adults who live in shared homes found 45 per cent regularly argue with their housemate, with 25 per cent having clashed over how to enhance how their shared space looks.

The research, commissioned by Homesense – leading homeware retailer and sister brand to TK Maxx – found décor disagreements are causing tensions between housemates, leading to an argument every four months on average.

The study discovered it’s most common to disagree over the colour of the walls (51 per cent), how to arrange furniture (24 per cent) and whether to have curtains or blinds (22 per cent).

And aside from creating a home that reflects personal taste and is a place to recharge and relax, there’s more pressure than ever to have a ‘picture-perfect’ home as many strive for an “on trend” social media aesthetic. 

Ealing Times:

Deborah Dolce, Group Director at Homesense said: “Creating a welcoming and comfortable home is so important for our wellbeing, yet as many as a quarter of people have fallen out with a housemate over how to decorate. And our research shows that 15 per cent of renters are spending money on décor that wasn’t even to their taste.

“We think that everyone should be afforded the chance to experiment with style. Homesense is well placed to help because we have such a wide range of high-quality homeware, we cater to all sorts of tastes and styles. And of course, with up to 60% savings, the financial stakes are a lot lower.”

As many as 15 per cent revealed they have ‘wasted’ money on shared décor that fits their housemate’s style but not their own – this was highest among Londoners at 26 per cent. 

Despite this putting a financial strain on renters who are already finding it ‘fairly or very difficult’ to afford their rent1, the importance of creating stylish homes has become table-stakes for the house-proud Brits of today, and many are unwavering in their pursuit of the perfect home design. Nearly a tenth (8 per cent) are unwilling to compromise on how to decorate their home – rising to 23 per cent among 18–34-year-olds. 

Almost one in five (17 per cent) admit they are unlikely to consult their housemates on a design choice for their home. As a result, Homesense found that 15 per cent of renters’ personal style is not reflected in their shared home and for 1 in 5 this negatively affects their mood. This was highest among Scots at 29 per cent, and women are more negatively affected by this than men.

It’s no wonder that a quarter are ‘very’ picky when it comes to who they share a home with, and 51 per cent claim it’s important to live with someone who has a similar style to them3. However, with inflation for new rentals at 10.4%4, and demand for properties exceeding supply, 42 per cent don’t think they can be picky with who they live with, as long as they have somewhere to call home.  

Dolce added: “Our advice is to have conversations about style, decorating and home décor before living together and look for ways in which differing taste might complement each other.

“And above all, shopping for home décor and furnishings together can be great fun and might help alleviate tensions later."