Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-24328802-20131223041434/@comment-14588660-20140106203122

I can't comment on the PS3 version, but something similar to this happens in the PC version, typically with houses that just barely meet minimum requirements for suitibility. Usually, adding a second torch so that there are 2 light sources fixes it. Something to do with not registering the light level or something. If I remember correctly, Yrimir had this happen in one of his speed runs and used the 2 torch trick to fix it.

I've also noticed that it happens less often (or not at all) if you make your rooms a bit bigger than they need to be. My minimum for housing has been 5x10 (or 50 block area) with 2 torches, 1 table, and 1 chair since version 1.1. I have yet to have the bug show up with that configuration for houses (provided that the house is otherwise valid). In the long run, the additional materials required to pull off this configuration is negligible: 10 extra units of building material (6 blocks for room elongation and 4 blocks to turn into wall pieces) and 1 extra torch per house. Alternately, I have not had any problem using 1 chandelier or candleabra instead of 2 torches.

Otherwise, sometimes corruption will creep up on your houses unnoticed. I'd check and make sure there isn't a corruption biom within a screen or two of the housing. NPCs can be a little flighty when it comes to the corruption being anywhere remotely close to their house.