Most common relationship niggles

A recent survey has found that, on average, couples can think of 12 annoying habits their partner possesses.

According to the study by maritalaffair.co.uk, leaving the toilet in an unsavory state was the most recurring thing that women complained about when asked what irritates them most about their man. For men, it was wearing shoes too high to walk in. “It’s us who pay for the taxis for their bad choice of footwear,” said one disgruntled husband.

Women clearly hate sleep disturbance with 42% including snoring on their hate list. Using excessive pots and pans when cooking was the next common complaint about modern men, often accompanied by further dismay at how long it takes for them to cook because they ‘start something else half-way through.’ Zoning out while watching TV or reading was the fourth most common complaint from women.

Men are easily exasperated by women’s grooming habits, with make-up residue on towels, pillows or smudged on walls being the second most common complaint (36% brought it up).

Not all niggles were gender-specific. Talking or texting at the dinner table appeared in 25% of women’s responses and 22% of men’s. Both men and women commonly listed their partner’s driving as cause for concern and as many men as women (11%) wished their partner wouldn’t show lack of personal confidence in public.