House-sharing Tips for Students

Many of our properties are rented out by students because they’re strategically located, come with unlimited broadband and everything is thoroughly safety checked. If you’re a student looking for a new home, get in touch today on 01482 342155 or email us with details of what you need.

Your time in a rented house or apartment will be all the better if you think about the wellbeing of your housemates and neighbours as well as your own. That’s why we’ve put together these student house-sharing tips, which should help you to keep everything running smoothly on a daily basis.

 

Check the clock and the volume

Time can fly by, especially when you’re listening to your favourite band. The best thing to do is check with your housemates that the music isn’t disturbing them, then reduce volume when you think they may be going to bed. You should also take into consideration your neighbours, especially if they’re elderly, have children or get up early in the morning. An incredibly simple yet effective solution is to use earphones, as that way you can still enjoy your tunes without being antisocial or getting reported to the landlord.

 

Are you an early bird or a night owl?

Maybe you’re up at the crack of dawn, singing in the shower and clattering about in the kitchen. Or perhaps you prefer to stay up watching box sets until 3am before finally crashing into bed. Whatever the case, your housemates may not share your routine, so try to keep noise and disturbances to a minimum. Even if you’re feeling helpful and want to vacuum the entire house, it’s best to leave it till late morning or early afternoon just in case.

 

Respect the fridge

This one is so straightforward yet so many get it wrong. Basically, don’t steal other people’s food, make sure to close the fridge door properly, and always buy milk when it’s your turn to do so. If you all follow these simple rules, everyone will be happy. Oh, and think about where you’re storing things in the fridge – is it really a good idea to put that meat so close to those cream buns?

 

Clean up afterwards

Again, such an obvious one but also a major cause of housemate fury. Whether you’ve made a sandwich or a massive feast, brushed your teeth or had a long soak in the bath, enjoyed a cuppa in front of the TV or had friends round for an Xbox tournament, it’s essential that you tidy up afterwards. From mugs and plates to clothes, furniture, soapy suds and even just tiny crumbs, take a look around before moving on to the next part of your day.

 

If you’re going to grumble and moan…

…do it about something you can all agree on, like a TV character or a lecturer that none of you like. If there’s a problem in the house, acting bitter isn’t a solution. Leaving notes around the house never works, and keeping it to yourself will only make things much worse over time. Instead, if you have a problem, tell the housemate calmly and kindly face to face and come to a mutually beneficial solution.

 

Be fair with bills

Unless one housemate has a TV in their room that takes up an entire wall, it’s probably best to split bills equally. Find out when they’re due and mark the dates in your diaries or calendars, that way they won’t come as a nasty surprise and you’ll have hopefully saved up a few quid to cover your share.

 

Make it a happy home

Work together to make your house bright, colourful and welcoming. This can be done on a budget simply by keeping it clean and tidy, putting up photos of good times, adding nice touches like flowers in the kitchen and blankets in the living room, and always having drinks and sweets ready for sharing over a movie.

 

Image: Taste Uni