Living in a share house can be challenging when you have people from different backgrounds, ages and interests all under the same roof. But there are a few simple steps that you can take to ensure a happy share house experience. Here are some helpful tips to assist you in maintaining a harmonious share house:
Food
Share houses vary enormously in the way they purchase food. Some housemates do cooking and grocery shopping together, while others prefer to do it alone.
Sharing food with your housemates can be difficult, as you are likely to have different tastes, dietary requirements, etc., so we recommend that if you decide to share food with your housemates, start by sharing basic foodstuffs such as milk, bread and butter. Once you get used to each other’s cooking and grocery shopping, you can share the food and cooking responsibilities.
Money Jar
Some share houses have a ‘kitty’ to cover basic foods, cleaning products and other household items. Having a kitty is a good idea if you want to avoid a scene over who finished that last roll of toilet paper, but make sure you don’t use it as an emergency fund for cigarettes and alcohol. While the quickest way to disrupt domestic bliss is to abuse the kitty system, it’s also important to realise that everyone has different ideas about what is a vital household purchase, and it doesn’t help to become obsessive about how the kitty is spent.
Chores
Like it or not, there are certain tasks which have to be done for a household to continue functioning. While Student Rooms does provide a cleaner to clean common areas fortnightly, you still need to contribute and do your bit. If you have cooked a meal, you must clean your dishes, wipe down benches and stovetop right after – not wait until the cleaners.
Many households find that a roster for certain tasks, such as emptying the rubbish bin, is the best way to ensure that chores are completed fairly. Others find that a more flexible honour system is sufficient. In some shared houses, people put down a tick every time they do the washing-up or some other chore.
If you find that one of your housemates is failing in their duties, remind them politely that jobs have to be done. Rude notes left under people’s doors are probably unproductive. If you think there is a problem, it’s a good idea to get together and discuss it before things get out of hand. Try not to let this discussion turn into a hunt for someone to blame.
If things escalate and you can’t figure out a way to resolve the problem, submit an SR 24/7 ticket to Student Rooms and we will help you find a solution.
Having Guests Over
If you have guests over, be mindful of your housemates and keep the noise to a minimum. If you have guests who stay overnight, let your housemates know in advance and pay close attention to the “House Rules” in the contract, which stipulate how many days a guest can stay over.
House Parties
Some share houses like to have regular parties and gatherings, while others prefer everyone to ‘party outside the house’ and keep the house relatively quiet. If you want to have a house party, tell your housemates in advance and don’t forget to invite them to the party! Be flexible – your housemates might have an exam or an assignment over the weekend you have organised a house party.
You also have an obligation under the residential tenancy agreement not to disturb your neighbours or damage the property. This includes disturbance or damage caused by your guests. Make sure you keep the noise to a minimum and set a reasonable end time to avoid any potential breach of the residential tenancy agreement.
Noise Level
Noise level is also a matter of concern for a lot of shared houses. We recommend that housemates be mindful of keeping noise levels to a minimum at night and in the early morning, minimising disturbance to your fellow housemates and neighbours. This includes closing doors quietly and ensuring that if you are talking, you keep your voices soft and close the doors so that housemates are not disturbed.