Joining a houseshare is usually the easier option on your finances, rather than renting a flat to yourself. However, it may involve lifestyle alterations that aren’t suitable for everyone. Before signing up for a houseshare, think carefully about the following:
Can you put up with at least some noise?
If you need perfect silence, housesharing is not for you. Even with the quietest of housemates you should expect to hear some noise from them, whether that be watching the tv at a reasonable volume in the middle or the day or getting up at 3am to go to the bathroom.
Can you plan your routine around others easily?
Shared house means shared facilities. The main problems will likely be contention for the bathroom in the morning when people are getting ready to go to work or school, and the kitchen in the evening when they’re trying to make their evening meals.
You may have to readjust your morning or evening schedules slightly based on what time your housemates tend to use the facilities if you wish to use them unhurried and and undisturbed. Don’t expect to have access to shared resources whenever your heart desires – plan accordingly.
Are you happy to split the utility bills equally?
In some houseshares the cost of utility bills are included in your rent (usually under some type of “fair usage” policy, if this applies to a place you are considering then check the paperwork to see what it means in your particular scenario), in others they are billed separately from your rent based on usage. Always check before joining a houseshare which one applies, don’t just assume.
If billed separately from your rent payment, and unless otherwise stated to you in writing preferably from your landlord, you should expect for everyone living in the household to pay for an equal spilt of the bills (e.g. 5 people live in the house, each person pays 1/5th of the total utility bill), regardless of how much each individual uses the utilities.
You must take this obligation seriously, even more so if your name is actually on any of the utility bills due to the added liability to make sure the bill is paid in full. You cannot refuse to pay based on “I think I use less water than the housemate who showers everyday”, “well I didn’t approve of the heating being turned on so I’m not paying for that”, or even “housemate X has their partner staying all the time and I’m not paying for their extra utility use”. Even if you ration your own utility usage, you can not expect others to do the same or enforce it upon them. If this is something you don’t agree with, then find a houseshare where the bills are included with your rent payment, or rent a flat by yourself where you can set your utility usage at whatever level you like.
Are you fine with the occasional visitor?
Your housemates will most likely have social lives. While they shouldn’t have their friends staying at the house 24/7, you should expect the occasional well-behaved visitor at minimum. If the thought of even a quiet, respectful stranger being in the house for less than a couple of hours a month has your skin crawling, then you should reconsider housesharing.
