Last updated: January 2026
As a first-year student, the time to start looking for housemates for next year rolls around way quicker than you’d think. This means it’s easy to feel a bit overwhelmed, especially if you’re not sure who to live with or how to even start hunting.
Don’t panic. We’ve put together this blog with our top tips on where to find housemates for your second year. Follow our advice to take the stress out of finding your perfect crew.
The first thing to remember is that you’re not alone – loads of people will be trying to choose who to live with. 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 exact same boat 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 a similar vibe, budget, and cleanliness levels to avoid running into arguments later.
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 someone to motivate you to actually show up to lectures, and you can all revise together.
This is especially useful if your degree is pretty intense. Your housemates will actually understand the pressure you’re under and be way less likely to try and drag you on a night out when you really need to study!
Your university’s student services department or housing office is a great place to go for guidance on finding flatmates. Their website usually has a message board or forum where you can create a post or reply to other students looking for a room. 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 the easiest solution. 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 day-to-day and how well you get on with them.
Just remember – you’re not forced to live with the same people again. So, if things aren’t working out, or their cleaning habits are driving you mad, 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 almost certainly be a Facebook page or group where you can connect with people from your student city who are also looking for people to live with. Just remember to meet up in public and get to know them a bit first to ensure you’ll get along.
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.
Now that you know where to find housemates for second year, it’s worth discussing how you can go about choosing the right ones. Here are some factors to consider before signing a contract together…
If you’re a neat freak and can’t stand stray crumbs on the side, it won’t be a good idea to live with a messy housemate – or at least one that can’t stick to a cleaning rota. Plus, some people have varying cleaning standards. Make sure you and your housemates’ standards align before moving in so you don’t become the house share’s weekly maid.
Problems can arise when one housemate stumbles in from a late night out and wakes up the early bird with a 9 AM lecture. Be sure to pick flatmates with similar sleeping patterns to you – it’s a deal-breaker in exam season.
Money’s always going to be an important one – especially if you’re all going to be paying rent and bills! Choose potential housemates who have a similar budget – it’ll certainly make finding a suitable place easier and stop you from spending more than you should.
Do you actually get on with your potential housemates day-to-day? Do you share any similar hobbies? It’s worth spending time together before moving in to make sure you can create a happy, relaxed home. If you’re already clashing over minor things (stolen milk, anyone?), sharing a lease might not be the best move. Small frictions can quickly lead to avoiding communal areas just to stay out of each other’s way – and trust us, that’s no way to live!
You may agree to live with someone – but you didn’t agree to live with their boyfriend or girlfriend, too. Be clear about boundaries when it comes to having partners or friends over – if you can all agree on a system, you should be okay!
After you’ve found your crew, 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 before the good houses get snapped up.
No matter how amazing your new housemates are, working out how you’re going to split the household bills can be a headache. A bill-splitting service is the simplest way to completely remove the 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 your housemate leaves their bedroom radiator on full blast.
Take the stress out of shared household bills with our simple-to-use service. Find out more about how we work or grab a quote.
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