Choosing who to live with and where

Picking who to share a property with can be just as important a decision as choosing where to live.

Where to live

House–hunting can be exciting but it’s also likely to be a stressful experience. The best student properties are often snapped up quickly so it’s important to be organised and ready to begin looking for accommodation as soon as possible.

Most student towns and cities have established areas which students tend to favour. If you’re not already aware of them, speak to your friends and University who will be able to help inform you.

The pros of living in a renowned student area usually include:

• There are good public transport links
• Close proximity to University campus
• Plenty of supermarkets and convenience stores nearby
• You’re able to live close to your friends and other students
• Student nightlife

The cons of living within a renowned student area may include:

• Higher demand for properties will mean you need to organised, quick and ready to make an offer
• Higher noise levels
• Increased crime rates

Choosing who you should live with

Living with friends is always a popular choice for second-year students – it’s cheaper than renting alone and means you can split all the costs.

It sounds silly, but it’s important to carefully consider which of your friends, if any, would make suitable house/flat mates. Thinking sensibly about your future house mates could help to alleviate any tensions and will help ensure your next year at University is just as great as the first.

In order to determine how ‘living’ compatible your friends are, answer these five questions:

• What is their attitude towards housework/cleaning?
• Do they like to stay up late or are they an early bird?
• Do they have any bad habits which could annoy you over time? E.g. Smoking, laziness, poor hygiene.
• Do you have common interests such as music, cinema, sport etc?
• How sociable/private are they? Is this compatible with what you are looking for in a housemate?

REMEMBER: Most contracts will run for a full year, so therefore it is important to ensure you can live with these people. Although it can be hard telling a friend that you don’t want to live with them, it is often much easier than losing the friendship altogether because of lifestyle and personality clashes.