Rising rents are forcing young adults to stay in shared accommodation longer than planned, with many reporting negative experiences of house sharing, according to research from OneFamily.
The lifetime ISA provider’s survey of 3,000 UK adults aged 18 to 40 found that four in five have lived with housemates, but a third did not enjoy it.
The most common frustrations were lack of privacy (37%), noise (32%) and messy housemates (29%).
Some respondents described extreme cases, including overflowing sinks, loud music at night and even frozen mice stored next to shared food.
With the average UK rent now at £1,354 a month, according to the ONS, many young adults said buying their first home feels increasingly out of reach.
Saving for a deposit while covering high rent costs has left many “stuck” in shared homes they’ve long outgrown.
Lucy Laing, a creative freelancer from Brighton, said: “You have a limited choice of where you’re going to live, due to high rent costs.
“You’re forced to move into places that are meant to feel like home, but don’t, and you can end up with housemates who have no respect for privacy or personal space.
“Friends would say, ‘Why don’t you just buy somewhere?’ But how can you save for a deposit when rent costs are so high?”
Jim Islam, CEO of OneFamily, added: “We’re seeing a generation stuck in shared homes they’ve long outgrown, not out of choice, but because high rents make it nearly impossible to move on.
“Everyone deserves independence and peace of mind, but for many young people these things now feel like luxuries.
“Owning your own place used to be a milestone of adulthood. Today, it’s increasingly out of reach for those trying to balance everyday rent with saving for a deposit.”
