Do You Have The Right Personality To Share A Flat?

Sharing a flat can be a fantastic way of finding suitable accommodation in a world of ever increasing rents, rates and utility bills. Sharing is a very natural thing for many of us to do, especially as students or for those in their early twenties who are just out of the family home.

For many students, sharing a flat or a house is an integral and desired part of the 'experience' of student life. Never forget that it is these sharing experiences in our early years that we learn many of our social skills, and how our behaviour effects other people.

However, there are some pitfalls to flat sharing which shouldn't be ignored. The main one being clashes in personal standards. If you find yourself sharing with someone whose hygiene standards are not as high as yours there could be real difficulties. This is one instance which should be considered and also it is worth considering how you would react as a person.

If these kind of things are likely to cause an issue then think twice before committing to a flat share as you are just going to make yourself and those around you very unhappy.

Think carefully about what kind of people you'll be sharing with - a joint venture between friends is probably a safer route to go down than sharing with strangers. Although sharing with strangers shouldn't be totally ruled out as they can bring new experiences and ideals into the mix. 

If you're a tolerant and easy going person with many coping skills then sharing a flat or house is a brilliant option. There are benefits to living in a community which can be hidden.

As well as sharing the running costs of a flat, there are the benefits of sharing skills and the ability to give mutual support, security and good company.