Checklist: Things to talk about before you agree to share a house

In student halls of residence you might not have much choice about who you share with.

You might get on really well and want to share a house next year.

Or you might want to move on and share with different people.

If you want to rent with friends, here are a few things to think about first.

What you need to think about

1. How well do you all get on?

2. Do you know and like their friends?

3. Are your lifestyles and attitudes similar?

4. How many people do you want to live with?

5. Would sharing a house affect your friendship?

What to discuss with your friends

1. What areas of the city do you want to live in?

2. What is each person's maximum budget for rent?

3. Do you each have someone who can be a guarantor?

4. How long do you plan to stay in the tenancy?

5. How many bathrooms do you need?

6. Do you want a place where bills are included?

7. How will you decide which room each person gets?

8. How do you feel about visitors and overnight guests?

Why these questions are important

Most student house shares are joint tenancies.

This means:

• you are jointly responsible for the rent

• the landlord can ask you for money if a housemate misses rent payments

• you could all be at risk of eviction if someone does not pay their share of the rent

It also means that:

• your housemates can have visitors and overnight guests

• you might have different expectations on cleaning, noise or parties

• any of you could give notice to end the tenancy if you are not happy