Shared Accommodation : Is it For You?
Choosing who to live with can be a big decision when it comes to student accommodation. Here we’ve listed the pros and areas to consider for shared renting so you can make an informed decision and focus on the other things that matter such as studying, budgeting and socialising.
Pro: Rent with Friends
Whilst student Halls are a great option for your first year to meet new and different people, one of the pros of shared accommodation is that you get to choose exactly who you live and buddy up with whilst socialising and studying. It can be less overwhelming renting with friends rather than feeling like you have to socialise with everybody in your hall or block to make new connections.
Consider: It can be difficult to find solitude
Although you will have your own room in shared student housing, you will still likely have to share communal areas such as a bathroom, living and kitchen areas which can be tricky if you’ve decided to rent a house with a big group of friends and are feeling the need for some solitude.
Pro: You can choose the number of tenants
What’s great about private student housing is if you have a large number of friends or even one friend or partner you wish to live with you can be sure to find the right size property for the number of renters. Lettuce Lettings offers a range of properties from one bedroom apartments to properties with a large number of bedrooms which is great if you are part of a society or class and would benefit from living together as well.
Consider: Personality Clashes
Something to consider could be personality clashes once you’ve found somebody to rent with. You will potentially be tied to a fixed term contract or even a year so it could be daunting for some, knowing that you are stuck with the same person or people once you’ve signed the tenancy agreement which can be tricky if you’ve had a disagreement with one of your roommates.
Pro: Buddying Up
If you’ve found making friends difficult during University, the best way you can get to know somebody better or to have a study buddy is ask somebody you might feel comfortable living with to rent together. This could be a classmate, someone you met on a social or a member of the society you are part of.
Pro and Consider: Split the costs
Splitting the rent of a property can be a great way of saving some much needed coin and can sometimes work out cheaper than student halls or living alone. Here at Lettuce Lettings, this couldn’t be made more simple with individual fees per room and sometimes even bills included in the split. The only downside could potentially be splitting the cost of the bills, in which case you’d need to ensure everyone pays the said bill such as utilities on time. Please see our Fees page for further details.
Top Tips to choosing your roomie(s):
Tip 1: Check your priorities
Whilst some students place an emphasis on socialising others are inclined to study more frequently so it’s important to ensure your roommates have similar values.
Tip 2: Set your budget
Although it’s important to choose your own budget when renting, sharing the bills and rental costs with others often means an open conversation about everybody’s affordability.
Tip 3: Think Long Term
Keep in mind that tenancy agreements could last up to a year or could even be extended beyond so it’s a great idea to think about the logistics of moving further down the line.
Overall it’s a completely personal choice who to share your living arrangements with. Whilst some love the busyness of a private shared student house and living with friends, others may be perfectly suited to renting alone or staying in private halls. Either way, Lettuce Lettings will have a property to suit your requirements.
