Introduction
Flat share is the term used to refer to sharing accommodation and rooms, in a flat or house open to rent. Someone living in a house share flat share is referred to as a house mate, flat mate or a roommate (when it’s a shared room). In a flat share, you rent the house from the landlord but you will share communal areas such as the kitchen, lounge and bathroom.
Step 1
The various types of flat share are:
- Monday to Friday Share; This option allows renters to enter into a house share flat share agreement, from Monday to Friday. It is useful if the commute to work is very long and time consuming.
- Student Shared House; These are houses for students only. They are located close to universities and are normally large houses rather than flats.
- A Family Home; These are houses occupied by families, who have decided to rent out one of their rooms.
Step 2
Benefits of House Share Flat Share:
- Live in a nicer location; You may not be able to rent an entire house in a nice neighborhood, but you may be able to do so through a flat share agreement. The money you save on rent can then be used to buy other household items or be kept in a savings account.
- Social Reasons; Though each room is rented individually, a house/flat will have common rooms that will provide you with the opportunity to chat and forge friendships with other house/flat mates. It’s also an effective way of developing new friends if you have just moved to a new area and will also help you to become better acquainted with the area.
- Ability to afford a house; You may want to purchase a property but you don’t have adequate finances. A house/flat share agreement will enable you to rent 1 or 2 rooms in your house to help pay off the mortgage.
Tip 3
- Reduce the cost of living; A house share flat share agreement will allow you to share the cost of living with your flat mates, such as paying off utility bills, thus saving you money in the long term.
- Cheaper cost of accommodation; A house/flat share agreement makes it possible for those people who live far from their homes, to live in a decent house at a reasonable cost. It offers camaraderie when one is living in a new place.
Tip 4
Tips on Choosing a Good Flat mate:
Decide what you are looking for in a house share flat share mate. For instance, if you are new to the area, you might want someone who is also willing to entertain the odd night out or you may want just place to relax in, at the end of the day. Consider how compatible your life styles are, to avoid any possible rifts in the future due those differences in lifestyle choices. Meet all the flat mates before agreeing to you move in. Look at the house rules and see if you can cope with them. Consider their hygiene standards; you don’t want to move in with someone who does not want to chip in in cleaning the house.
