The first thing to remember is that you’re not alone, a lot of people will be trying to choose who to live with. So, start by asking your friends and anyone you know from clubs and societies what their plans are for next year. You’ll be surprised how many people are in the same situation as you.
Just make sure you get to know them a bit before you commit to anything – ideally, you want to live with people who have similar interests, values and habits as you to avoid running into arguments.
Another great place to look for potential housemates is your course. Living with people who’re studying the same degree as you means you’ll always have people to motivate you to study and you can all revise together.
This is especially useful if you’re studying an intense course. Your housemates will understand the pressure you’re under and be less likely to try and get you to join them on a night out when you really need to study!
Your university’s student services department or housing office should be able to offer guidance on finding flatmates or housemates. Their website should have a message board or forum where you can create a post or reply to other students’ posts about house shares. They might even have specific events designed to match potential housemates together who have similar interests.
Whether you’re living in university halls, purpose-built student accommodation, or a student house, your current housemates might be an easy solution to your problem. You’ll have been living with them for a couple of months now, so you should have a good idea of what they’re like and how well you get on with them.
Remember that you’re not obligated to live with the same people again, so if things aren’t working out, don’t be afraid to look further afield.
Social media is a great way to reach people who are in the same situation as you. There will likely be a Facebook page or group where you can connect with people from your student city who are also looking to meet new people to live with. Just remember to get to know them a bit first to ensure you’ll get along with them.
Online forums, such as The Student Room, are another way to find people online who are looking for housemates. These forums are full of students looking for housemates and sharing advice, so it’s a great resource if you’re still struggling to find people to live with in your second year.
After you’ve found people to live with, the next step is to find your perfect second-year house. Remember not to leave it too late – you should start looking for student accommodation with plenty of time to spare.
No matter how amazing your new housemates are, working out how you’re going to split the household bills can feel a bit stressful. A bill-splitting service is the simplest way to remove all the worry and hassle of trying to pay bills in a shared house.
At Split The Bills, we do all the hard work of setting up utility accounts and calling suppliers so you don’t have to. Our team will handle everything on your behalf, and everything is included in one neat monthly payment! There’s no need to worry about awkward conversations about bills or trying to chase late payments.
You can customise your bill package to include water, energy, broadband and even a TV licence if you plan on watching live TV. Plus, your water and energy bills are uncapped, so it doesn’t matter if you or your housemates forget to turn the lights off.
Take the stress out of shared household bills with our simple-to-use service. Get in touch with us to find out more about how we work.
Spring is here, and summer will follow, meaning we’re all about to be using a lot more water. Here’s how to save water as a student and make the most of every drop!
When you move into a student house, everyone suddenly becomes an energy expert. Read our blog on energy myths to understand what will really save you money.
If you’re the housemate that seems to always take care of everything, the burden can soon add up, and it can start to feel like your home life is another full time job. Fear not – we’re here to help you share the load, getting more people to pitch in with chores and freeing your time up to do more important things, like watching TV, mindlessly scrolling on your phone or having a well-earned nap.