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House sharing advice
Kitty
Make a monthly contribution towards the house to cover all household necessities. This can pay for cleaning equipment and loo roll, bin liners etc – general items that everyone in your apartment share uses.
Cleaning
It's ALWAYS best to write up a rota when living in shared accomodation. That way everyone knows where they stand and no-one ends up feeling like a martyr because they've cleaned the bathroom six times in a row. You could even draw up a timetable where you tick off what you've done and when. That way, you can remind yourself too.
If recycling is important to you – fine. Just don't ram it down everyone else's necks. Failure to recycle will soon have financial implications anyhow when council's start to charge.
Respect Private Space
If someone needs to be on their own don't go barging in with news that the cat's just caught a mouse. Also, never enter someone's room when they're out unless they've given your permission to borrow items in their absence.
In essence
We're sure you have your own pet hates when living with flat mates but it's important to discuss issues - there's no point allowing unsaid niggles to fester and spoil the atmosphere in your apartment share.
On the whole, in our experience, shared accommodation is all about learning to compromise and negotiate. In fact, one of the great things we've found about sharing a flat is the life skills you unconsciously pick up along the way.
Food
Stick to your own and if you help yourself to your flatmate's pint of milk or raid their biscuit tin in a carb-frenzy one night, remember to replace the items. It's only polite.
Phone Bill
Not as much of a problem these days thanks to the proliferance of the mobile phone. But if you do have a shared landline then the only fair way round this one is to get an itemised bill and make sure any house guests who use the phone record their calls in a book beside the phone.
Guests
It's nice to have pals over but try to discourage them spending the summer with you. No-one living in shared accomodation wants an unpaying house guest hanging around drinking tea all day.