Living with other people can be the best of times - and the worst of times. It all depends on how you and your house- or flatmates handle the experience. Savvy screening of potential housemates along with establishing clear and fair ground rules can make the difference between a happy home and a household troubled by petty grievances. To make your home life "the best of times", check out our tips for successful shared living.
Where to start
If you're looking for share accommodation, either to rent a room or find a housemate, search the share accommodation listings. Community notice boards at suburban shopping centres are another potential source of share listings.
Finding the right house mates
Bonhomie can quickly turn to seething discontent.Don't be tempted just to go for convenience - i.e. a room is available in a shared house or unit in the right place and at the right price. Getting the mix (of people) right is critical to a happy household. For example, if you're a clean freak, think twice about moving in with people who have a more relaxed attitude to tidiness. Bonhomie can quickly turn to seething discontent when different cleaning cultures collide. Alternatively, if everything else about the household is looking good, try to lower your standards and compromise on the small stuff. Does it really matter if the dust is allowed to settle for more than a few days? (Maggots in the kitchen bin, on the other hand, are a legitimate concern.)
Moving in with friends
Good friends don't automatically make great housemates. You can be the best of friends but have a completely different attitude to many things, such as reducing energy consumption around the home, playing loud music and the timing of washing up - immediately after a meal or the next morning? And then there's the issue of "morning" and "night" people. If you're out of sync, you may soon find yourself out of good humour too.
So take a little time and effort to really get to know your prospective housemates. If you're meeting your housemates for the first time, ask open ended questions, i.e. a question that needs to be answered with more than a "yes" or "no" answer. For example: "What do you like to do in your free time?" The answers can often be very revealing and can save you from moving in with a bunch of people you have nothing in common with. Another revealing question is: "Who would be your ideal housemate and why?"
Establish the ground rules
Establishing some simple ground rules is the key to household harmony. Talk together about the issues that matter most to each person, then work out a set of rules you can all live by. Typical issues include the playing of loud music, visitors, cleaning rosters, and - don't laugh - replacing the toilet roll. (Tip for blokes: many a household schism could have been prevented by timely replacement of empty toilet rolls.)
Above all, practise simple courtesy. Treat your housemates as you would wish to be treated yourself. If you are considerate and courteous, chances are your housemates will reciprocate. After all, it's all about living together and if you generally get on, most people will make an effort.
Create a cleaning roster
Cleaning is a chore, and often a bore. But it has to be done. (Chore-avoiders take note: providing rubber thongs for household members to wear in the mould- and grime-covered shower receptacle is a prevarication, not a solution.) The best way for share households to keep the house reasonably clean and liveable is to make a simple roster of all the chores. Then stick to it.
If several members of the household are averse to this system, then consider outsourcing the cleaning. Our directory lists a wide range of domestic cleaning services.
Money matters
When it comes to rent, it's common for housemates to pay by direct debit, or directly to the landlord, but there is still the issue of household bills. One of the easiest ways to handle the regular shared bills (e.g. gas and electricity) is to agree on a weekly or monthly budget that each housemate contributes an agreed amount to, so that funds are always in place when the bills arrive.
Grocery items are another matter. Our tip is to have a household kitty - into which everybody puts a set amount each week - for common items like milk, bread, teabags, coffee, sugar and cleaning supplies. For all other food items, adopt a BYO (buy your own) policy. That way no-one is subsidising anyone else's eating habits and there'll be no arguments over brand choices.
Conflict resolution
In any share household, there is always potential for conflict. Don't allow problems or grievances to build to the point of explosion. The best way to nip troubles in the bud is to communicate - regularly and calmly. If something is bothering you, talk to your housemates and work out a solution together.
The legal stuff
If you're in a share household, there are some legalities to consider and different classifications of tenants. You can be a co-tenant, head tenant or sub tenant. To understand these terms and their responsibilities, read the share house information supplied by the RTA.
Be informed about how to handle bond in share houses too.
For more information about share accommodation, see renting in Brisbane.
