The Risk of Shared Accommodation

You may consider that sharing accommodation with friends or strangers is a great idea. Certainly, it has many advantages: you can share the cost of bills and food, and make new friends. However, living with others also has its disadvantages. You may find that your new housemates are noisy or inconsiderate, or find that you have differing standards of cleanliness and tidiness. Before you decide to search for, or move into, shared accommodation, ensure that you consider carefully whether or not you are really a 'flat-sharing' person! Are you really happy to share, and risk housemate disagreements? You will of course also need to consider the financial repercussions of choosing to live alone.

If you rent a property and later wish to sublet one or more rooms, this is only possible with the consent of the landlord, who may need to consider whether an extra tenant affects the calculation of additional costs. It is important to ensure that any subletters are included in the rental contract. If they are not named in the contract and they fail to pay rent, you will be liable to make up the difference to the landlord because you are the named tenant. This situation is particularly problematic if you wish to terminate the rental contract but are the only named tenant (and the subletter has failed to pay their rent). It is unlikely that the landlord will allow you to be released from the contract until this rent has been paid. If you have already agreed to rent a new property, you will be required to pay two sets of rent and pursue the subletter for your money. If the subletter is also named in the contract, both tenants are responsible for the debt. The only advantage of a subletter not being named in the contract is that they can easily move out if you no longer wish to live with one another.

This case scenario also applies to other aspects of shared living; if you are named on the telephone or utility bill contract and other tenants fail to pay you their share, you may find yourself responsible for covering the outstanding costs. Consider this before you agree to be named in a contract, and if you do agree, be sure to lay down some rules for bill-paying with your fellow housemates!