Six Tips on How to be a Good Flatmate 

If you’re sharing a living space for the first time or you’ve moved in with friends or course mates from last year, it’s good to start thinking about how you can be the best flatmate. 

While there are not set rules for how to live with others, there are things you can do to make your living environment as harmonious and stress-free as possible.  

Here’s just a few tips on how to be a good flatmate:  

Spend time together  

One of the benefits of living with other people is the company! You will want to make your new space feel like a home, which means getting to know the people you are living with better.  

Of course, you’ll probably be planning some nights out, but there’s plenty of other ways you can bond with your flatmates. This might include cooking and eating together, movie nights in, or grabbing a coffee together in the morning.  

If you’re having any visitors over, why not try to include your flatmates too? It not only helps them get to know you better, but it also gives them an opportunity to meet new people. And while they might not always say yes to your invitation, they will definitely appreciate feeling included.   

Keep your spaces clean 

Your bedroom is your personal space, and you should keep anything important or significant to you in there. Your flatmates should not enter your bedroom without your permission and it’s good etiquette to knock before entering another person’s bedroom too.  

You also need to be respectful of shared spaces such as kitchens, hallways and living rooms. This means not clogging up these areas with lots of your personal items and tidying up after yourself.  

If you want to make these areas feel more homely, why not decorate communal areas for Halloween or Christmas? It’s also a great bonding activity. Just make sure you follow any rules set by your landlord in your tenancy agreement on what you can and cannot do in terms of decorating.   

Be fair with communal space 

Living in a flat can be a tight squeeze depending on how many people you share with.  It’s always good to divide the cupboard space up between the amount of people you are sharing with and stick to your own space throughout the year. 

The same thing should be done with shelves in the fridge and drawers in the freezer, and you should try not to buy more food than you need each week so that you can stick to your allocated space. If you need more space, be honest and ask if anyone can lend you some room temporarily – as it can be frustrating to find that someone has used your space without asking. 

Be considerate of noise 

You should always be considerate about your noise, whether that is playing music in your bedroom, watching the TV, or hanging out with other flatmates. You are allowed to enjoy your space and do all these things, but just be mindful of other people in your flat as well as your neighbours. 

You should adopt the general rule of keeping noise low between the hours of 11pm – 7am in general but take it on a case-by-case basis. If your flatmates are studying for exams, make sure to keep any doors closed and listen if you are told to keep the noise down.  

Share the chores / have a rota 

Keeping your flat clean is the responsibility of everyone who lives there. Jobs around the house will get done a lot faster if you work together . This could include hoovering/ mopping communal spaces, cleaning the kitchen down, and deep cleaning the bathroom. Some of these tasks might be weekly or even monthly, but setting a rota early is the best way to stick to it. 

Other communal things that are shared by your housemates such as milk, toilet paper, and cleaning supplies are best sorted by a rota too. This way, you will avoid disputes around money and expenses, as everyone will share the cost equally. 

Practice good communication 

People always say to be yourself, and that is good advice for living with other people. You will be more at ease if you are honest with your housemates, and they should feel comfortable to do the same. This will make tough conversations easier and ease the pressure when tensions arise. 

 Disagreements are normal when living with other people. We’re all different and come with our own set of expectations of what it means to share a living space. If something is bothering you, be clear and open with your flatmates. You should also allow them to do the same with you. Working through things together will make for a much nicer living environment.