You might be thinking about living in a house share to save money and split expensive bills, but what is house sharing, and who is it for?
A house share simply refers to a group of people who live in the same property. Although the name implies that this must be a house, flat shares are also common. Typically, these people aren’t related; usually, they’ll be friends or even strangers who have found each other online.
You might associate this with student house shares, and while it’s true that the majority of students live in house shares, there are also types of house shares designed for young professionals. Not sure of the difference between student and young professional housing? Check out our guide for more information.
Now, we’ll talk you through the pros and cons of living in a house share, so you can decide if it’s the right option for you.
The biggest benefit of house sharing compared to renting a property on your own is the significantly lower cost. You only pay a share of the total rent and bills, so it’s ideal if you’re on a tighter budget.
Shared accommodation doesn’t just mean you get to share the rent and bills; you’ll also share chores and cleaning. If you’re organised, you can create a cleaning rota to make sure everyone’s on board!
In most house shares, especially student ones, you’ll be living with a group of friends, so the living experience can be a lot of fun! You’ll always have people to watch a movie with or go for a night out with. Of course, if you want a bit of privacy, you can also hang out in your room.
If you’re living with strangers or people you don’t know very well, a house share is one of the simplest ways to make new friends, especially if you’ve just moved to a new area and don’t know that many people. Your housemates are essentially built-in friends, so there’ll always be someone around for a chat! If you’re lucky, your housemates might even turn into lifelong friends.
Often, city centre locations can be expensive and out of your budget. Living in a house share means you can live somewhere you might never be able to afford if you lived by yourself. Whether you want to live near the city centre, your university, or your job, a house share means you can live in the best location for you.
If you’re moving out of your family house and you’re living alone for the first time, the idea of being left to your own devices might sound scary. Living in a house share is a great first step; you’ll get to share the responsibility of bills and cleaning, and you’ll always have other people around to turn to and socialise with.
The majority of house shares are fully furnished, meaning there’s no need to buy expensive furniture and home essentials. This makes it easier to save money and makes moving in (and out) much less of a hassle.
If you’re a very private person, shared living might not be the ideal option for you. Of course, a great way to get around this is to live with people who you know will respect your personal space and won’t mind when you retreat to your room for some much-needed alone time.
If you and your housemates have different schedules, there might be some unwanted noise. All you can do is try your best to be understanding of your housemates and try to be as respectful as possible, especially if you know someone else is trying to sleep or study. You could always invest in a good pair of headphones and earplugs, too!
Sometimes, whether you’re living with strangers or close friends, there may be times when people don’t get on. From clashing lifestyles to dirty dishes in the sink to late bill payments, things in the house can start to feel pretty awkward when two people aren’t speaking to each other.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom. There are a few things you can do to reduce the likelihood of major arguments and keep your shared house a great place to live:
Read more about how to get along with your housemates.
One of the biggest issues with living in a shared house is working out how to deal with household bills. The good news is that there’s a simple solution…
Split The Bills offers students and young professionals up and down the country an easy way to split their utility bills. Our team will do all the hard work of ringing suppliers, setting up utility accounts and direct debits, and finding the best deal.
We’ll divide everything among everyone living in the house, and you just need to pay your portion each month. There’s no need to worry about chasing up late payments from your housemates – everyone is only responsible for their monthly payment!
You can choose what to include in your bill package, such as water, energy, broadband and a TV licence. It even includes uncapped energy and water, so if your housemate has a habit of leaving the lights on, there’s no need to stress.
Find out more about how we work, or get in touch with us to find out more.
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.
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