Nearly half of Londoners have avoided someone because of their annoying habits

If you’ve ever rolled your eyes at someone saying they’re “on the way”, promised you’ll “do it in a minute”, or found yourself silently judging the way someone loads the dishwasher, you’re not alone.

New research from online greeting card marketplace thortful1 has revealed that while Britain shares many of the same everyday frustrations, our biggest pet peeves vary considerably depending on where we live.

With Google searches for “biggest pet peeves” up more than 5,000% over the past month compared with last year2, it’s safe to say Brits have reached their limit with everyday annoyances. But rather than confronting each other, the findings suggest most of us would rather avoid an awkward conversation altogether.

Britain’s Biggest Regional Pet Peeves
Nationally, almost one in four Brits (23%) say hearing someone promise they’ll “do it in a minute” before never actually doing it is one of their biggest everyday frustrations, closely followed by people claiming they’re “on the way” when they’re clearly not (22%).

But scratch beneath the surface and regional differences begin to emerge.

In Wales, a third of people (33%) say “I’ll do it in a minute” is one of their biggest bugbears – the highest of any UK region. Meanwhile, people in the South West are more likely than anyone else to be irritated by loud chewing (21%), while Northern England tops the rankings for frustration with people pretending they’re “on the way” (23%).

Household habits also divide opinion. Nearly one in five people in Wales (19%) say poor dishwasher loading gets under their skin, compared with 11% in both the South East and South West. Meanwhile, asking “Where is it?” before properly looking is a particular frustration in Wales (19%), Northern Ireland (18%) and the South East (17%).

For thortful, it’s these seemingly insignificant habits that leave the biggest impression. Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson says: “It’s rarely the big moments that get under our skin – it’s the tiny habits we experience every single day. The funny thing about these habits is that almost everyone knows someone who does them. They’re the little everyday behaviours that become running jokes in relationships and families and while they’re frustrating in the moment, they’re often the quirks we end up laughing about years later.”

Some Parts of Britain Are More Likely to Keep the Peace
The research also found notable regional differences in how people react when those little annoyances start to build up.

Across the UK, over two in five Brits (43%) admit they’ve avoided someone after becoming annoyed with them, but this rises to almost half of people in Northern England (47%) and the South East (46%). By comparison, just 31% of people in Central England say they’ve done the same.

Elsewhere, people in the South West are the most likely to leave a sarcastic note (29%), while almost one in four people in Scotland (23%) say they’ve ended a friendship because someone’s habits repeatedly got on their nerves.

The findings suggest that many Brits prefer subtle ways of expressing frustration over direct confrontation, often using humour or passive aggression to diffuse everyday tensions.

Offering an insight into the nation’s conflict avoidant tendencies, a spokesperson from thortful explains “Brits have a reputation for keeping the peace, even when someone is driving them completely up the wall and humour often becomes our way of acknowledging those frustrations without turning them into an argument.”

The Habits We Secretly Love
Despite causing irritation, some habits are viewed much more affectionately.

Across the UK, 13% say they roll their eyes when someone texts to check they got home safely, 11% are exasperated by loved ones insisting on paying for everything, and 8% are annoyed by relatives constantly asking whether they’ve eaten.

While these habits might test our patience in the moment, they’re often rooted in care, making them the kinds of quirks we’d secretly miss if they disappeared.

As thortful adds “There’s a fine line between annoying and endearing. Sometimes affection isn’t grand gestures – it’s eye rolling, teasing each other and laughing about the little quirks that make the people we love uniquely themselves.”

Inspired by the findings, thortful’s card collection is a playful nod to the everyday habits that can be equal parts frustrating and endearing – reminding us that our loved ones wouldn’t be the same without them.