No matter who you are living with, it is undoubtedly going to be bothersome when you have many people living under the same roof.

It takes time and effort to create a happy share house. Tolerance, trust, and good communication are essential. You can achieve it by following these proven and crucial tips.

Ahead of your move

Having an honest conversation about your routines and lifestyles before moving in with someone is a good idea.

For instance, the problem might be that if the potential flat mate is a morning person while you are more of a night owl, things might not work out too well for you.

There is a chance that you may find your potential flat mate is a party animal and enjoys having a lot of friends over all the time, but you prefer your home to be a place conducive to quiet reflection, then again maybe this is not going to be the right place for you.

Try to look for someone who you have something in common with, and treat this process as an interview.

Obviously, if you’re moving in with a group of friends you already have a lot of knowledge about them, but it is still important to find out about their routines, as everyone has their own little quirks.

Rent payment

Splitting rent with roommates can be challenging, but it’s an important process to go through before signing the lease.

To make this process more fair and to reduce arguments, here are two solutions. It is important that you work this out before you move into your new home.

Calculate the square meterage by dividing it by two

Using this method, it is easy and fair to divide the rent in half. It is recommended that you take the square meterage of each bedroom and divide it by the total square meterage of the house in order to get an accurate breakdown.

The space occupied by each room can be calculated by taking the percentage occupied by each room. You should then take each of those percentages and apply them to the total cost of your rent.  By doing this, it can be easier to break down the cost according to the percentage of the total space occupied by the company.

Those with the most perks

It is important to consider what each person receives for their rent. Does it seem fair to you? If someone has an ensuite, built in cupboards, a balcony, or windows, they should be required to pay an additional fee. If you assign a cost to each amenity, you can divide the price of the room evenly among them.

It is important to clarify payment methods, due dates, and where bonds will be held.

Bills payment

When sharing a house with roommates, one of the main reasons for conflict is rationing utility bills and internet bills.

When you move into a new place, it is recommended that one of the co-tenants be assigned the responsibility as soon as possible.

This does not mean they pay the entire bill, rather it means that they have the responsibility to pay the bill on time at the end of the month.

Prior to paying your bill, it is generally a good idea to divide your expenses, such as gas, electric, internet, and water, equally among yourselves.

There can be difficulties when usage is uneven, for example when one roommate uses an electric blanket every day without ever turning it off and another who steadfastly streams reruns of Star Wars every evening.

It would be worthwhile to come to an agreement with them if, in fact, that is the case, in order to get them to pay extra for their habits.

Saving money is undoubtedly a priority for each of you, so discuss ways you can increase your household’s energy efficiency as well as helping the environment at the same time.

Lease signing

It is important to make sure that all tenants sign the lease. It is important to note that you have equal rights to the property if everyone on the lease has signed on it, so you are both responsible for the property.

If your flatmates are jointly liable for the property, you’ll find that they will be more aware of how the property should be maintained, the rent will be paid on time, and the property will be cared for effectively.

Communication and respect are essential

It is very important to communicate, especially when you are living together. It is essential to discuss any issues or perceived issues as soon as they arise, especially when you are living together.  If there are any unresolved or unstated problems, these will eventually simmer, and at a later point, they may become volatile.

The importance of respecting each other and embracing your differences is very important, and you should treat your flatmates as you would like to be treated by them.

Preparing food

It would be a good idea to discuss how you and your flat mates would like to manage the food and cooking.

What sort of food are you looking to buy? Are you looking to pool your funds and buy food that everyone shares, or are you looking to buy your own food and have dedicated shelves in your fridge and pantry cupboard to store it on?

In this scenario (which is pretty typical), if you take your flat mate’s last yoghurt and eat it, you’ll need to tell him or her and provide them with a replacement.

Also, it might be a good idea to discuss an organization of a cooking roster so you don’t all end up playing the role of cook at the same time!

Household chores 

The most common complaint among flatmates is that the people they share a room with don’t clean up after themselves, according to a real estate survey.  In order to prevent this from happening, here are some steps you can take to make sure it doesn’t happen:

Make sure everyone does their fair share of cleaning each week by creating a cleaning roster.  Maybe the chores could be divided up by common rooms, such as living rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, or by jobs, such as taking out the trash, dusting, vacuuming, cleaning the toilet, etc.

A good idea would be to create a house hold fund and use it to pay a cleaner once a week, once a fortnight or once a month, depending on how busy you are.  Having your home cleaned on a regular basis ensures you get a good cleaning done on a regular basis… Plus, having your home sparkling clean when you get home is always a pleasure;

Keeping mess to your own room is a good idea – as long as it’s within your control. Also, it is a good idea to keep your bedroom door closed so that people won’t be able to walk by and see what’s going on in your room;

In communal areas, you should always make sure that you clean up after yourself;

Keep your belongings away from communal areas for as long as possible.

Pets

In case you are considering bringing a pet into your flat, make sure you discuss it with your flatmates first before bringing a furry or slippery pet into your house.

It is important to remember that some people might be allergic to certain animals, or simply don’t like them, so make sure they are given the option before bringing a new pet into the house.

As a pet owner, you should also keep in mind that if the animal is yours, then it is your responsibility to feed and take care of the animal, and most importantly, to clean up after the animal.

Social areas, visitors, and parties

While there are a lot of people who enjoy hosting parties and having guests over, no one wants to constantly feel outnumbered in their own home while they are surrounded by guests.

You should make sure you set some ground rules for your guests before they arrive, such as a maximum stay of the number of nights, or if the guest is permitted to sleep in the bedrooms of the hosts.

Additionally, it is good to discuss and agree on whether you would like your place to become a regular party place or whether you would like to limit this to once a quarter or even once a year if you want it to remain a party place.

When it comes to communal areas, it’s important to respect the space that has been made available for you. Don’t leave your items lying around and make sure you keep a bathroom roster to ensure that you clean up after yourself.

If you or your friend accidently break your housemate’s favourite ornament by mistake, make sure you tell them, apologise for the damage, and make sure you replace it as soon as possible.

By getting everyone together, you will be able to connect with one another, talk about what’s going on in your lives, and develop a bond that goes beyond just having a common roof!

Whilst you’ll undoubtedly have to compromise here and there hopefully this list helps you create the perfect share house harmony.