The house rules Britons break most often, according to poll

Some people can last just 36 minutes without checking in with social media

Using a mobile phone at the dinner table is considered rude by those who were polled (Yui Mok/PA Wire)

Leaving on shoes, asking for the Wifi password and using mobile phones at the dinner table, are the house rules that guests break the most, a poll has claimed.

The survey of 2,000 adults revealed polite guests should use a coaster when settling down a drink and always leave the toilet seat down.

Respecting privacy, refraining to swear and washing hands before sitting down for dinner also made the list, as did leaving the host to do the washing up, which those who were polled said was "rude."

“Wherever we are, whatever we are doing, we always have the urge to stay online," said Richard Sinclair MBE, executive director of connectivity at Virgin Media, which carried out the survey. “When visiting friends and family, research has shown that asking for the WiFi code is one of the first things people do. As is courtesy when visiting someone else’s home, you should be mindful and always respect their rules to avoid any awkward situations.“

The poll also found 71 per cent did not impose any particular rules for guests to follow, however, those who did follow such rules, said it was from a place of "respect".

More than 25 per cent of respondents found it it "impolite" when guests ask for the Wifi password during a visit and one in 10 had gone to the extreme of refusing to provide it, reasoning "they’ve come for a visit, not to sit glued to their device."

However, homeowners said if they are to provide access to the Internet, guests should be willing to wait for 30 minutes before asking for the password.

But for those study participants who are frequent guests at the homes of friends and neighbours, said they strongly believed they were not doing anything wrong in particular.

Furthermore, one in five said they need to connect to their host’s Wifi because they feel compelled to check their emails.

The average respondent said they could go just 36 minutes after arriving at someone’s home before the temptation to check emails and social media overwhelms them.

One in 10 admitted feeling compelled to check social media and a further 23 per cent said they go online because there was something on the internet they wanted to share with their host.

A quarter thought that being connected to the Internet at all times has simply become a "habit".

A third had visitors over at least once a week, with a tenth inviting guests round "most days".

SWNS