A group of students living together for the first time in their accommodation will all have different lifestyles and can take some getting used to, so it’s important to take the advice and help available to make the experience as stress-free as possible.
Here are a few tips to keep your student house, apartment, flat or accommodation -share running smoothly.
Keep your accommodation tidy
Cleanliness is subjective and we all have different ideas of what ‘clean’ means. It’s best to share with people who have similar standards to you, but if this isn’t possible, try to compromise. You should set a few ground rules in the house at the start of your tenancy agreement, such as keeping communal areas clean and tidy.
Everyone must agree to clear up after themselves, particularly in the kitchen, and dirty pots should never be left to fester. If necessary, get everyone together and draw up a cleaning rota to ensure everyone does their fair share of the workload, or you can even agree to split the cost of a weekly or fortnightly professional cleaning service.
Get your utility bill allowance in order
When you move into your student accommodation, get together and agree how any extra on your allocated utility bill allowance will be paid and split between everyone in the house, as this is a common cause of arguments.
- Turn off lights when they are not required.
- Don’t leave computers switched on.
- Don’t leave electrical items on standby
And last but not least, Avoid using access energy by leaving your heating on in your rooms when you are out during the day at University.
Keep your personal belongings secure
Keep your belongings secure in your room and be clever with storage, so your personal items don’t over-spill into the communal spaces. Security can be an issue too with friends of your group members coming in and out of your home that you don’t know, so it’s worth locking your room door when you are away from the accommodation.
Be vigilant and as a house agree to always lock your doors and windows to prevent break-ins. If your student house is fitted with an alarm system, use it!
Consider sharing the basic student essentials
It’s a good idea to get together with your housemates and put some money towards kitchen basics such as a kettle, toaster, pots and pans, condiments, spices, and dairy products to save you all over-buying.
Each month, you can agree on what needs to be replaced and all put money in a pot to make sure those essentials are restored going forward.
Respect your fellow housemates
Always Respect your housemate’s privacy;
- Don’t go into their rooms when they’re not there and always knock first if the door is shut.
- Keep the noise down if you are inviting friends back or coming in late at night.
- And try and give some warning if you have any visitors.
Don’t assume that because you like listening to the loud music at 3am in the morning your housemates and neighbours will do as well! Being respectful in shared accommodation goes a long way towards preventing conflicts.
Communication is a key factor
Create an established method of communication with your housemates to discuss specific house matters, for example, set up a Facebook or WhatsApp group and encourage everyone to participate. Remember though; don’t exclude anyone from the house from your group and be polite to each over in discussions.
If you have any major issue to raise, however, the best thing to do would be to communicate face-to-face, so that it can get resolved more quickly.
If you haven’t yet developed a social relationship with your housemates, a simple “please and thank you” and polite conversation can establish a comfortable atmosphere for everyone.
All Data Sourced By Student Accommodation in Lancaster Specialists, Unipad Luxury Student Homes Lancaster.
