The do's and don't's of shared accommodation?

Hey guys,

I am planning an article on the do's and don't's of living either on campus or in a house share. I was wondering if there was anything you guys find really irritating or off putting that a house mate does? Maybe leaving dirty dishes or more unsavoury items around the place.

Additionally, is there anything you like or expect someone to do, for example, washing up their dirty dishes as soon as they have finished eating.

I am looking for really common do's and don't's that you guys have experienced and feel free to mention things already said by others, it helps me to narrow down those major positives and negatives.

Thanks in advance for any replies :smile:

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

alex2100x

Don't order pizza at 4 in the morning and expect not to disturb anyone.

Reply 2

Kool_Panda

Original post by ftn17

My room mate seems to have forgotten that headphones exist. Really irritating when you're trying to get to sleep because you have a 9am lecture the next morning.

Reply 3

trasitszy

Original post by ftn17

Haha good idea! I am a fresher at the moment and the kitchen in literally impossible to cook in it is so filthy (and not one single bit of it is my mess i'll have you know! :angry:

) but I am too shy to confront my housemates about it. I wish people could just wash up their f***ing dishes... :huff:

and not spill alcohol all ove the floor :rolleyes:

#rantover! :tongue:

Reply 4

KJane

Dos: Change to listening to music with headphones late in the evening, especially around deadline times.

Don'ts: Leave passive aggressive notes around, face the problem head on.

Reply 5

danniibee

Do tidy up after yourself.

Don't go through anybody else's things
Don't fill the fridge/ freezer so nobody else can put their food in. Last year I was in shared accomodation with six girls and one girl filled the fridge and freezer with food and I only had half a shelf in each so couldn't buy alot of food but it never changed when I brought the issue up. Also most of the food in the fridge went off before it was used. It was rediculous.

Reply 6

ftn17

Lol I thought dishes would be a common one; I hear it alot.

Goos points on the music, as a quiet individual who keeps to myself I find it hard to understand how people can share their music with the neighbourhood.

It seems you get a real mix of people in student accommodation, a few well mannered individuals and others completely oblivious that others occupy the same space.

It seems a definite 'Do' is to confront the problems directly or work out a way to do this that works for everyone... hmmm perhaps I should look into possible solutions for some of these points :smile:

Keep them coming! These are excellent :smile:

Reply 7

Blobar

Dont have a massive stinky sheeeet. :colone:

Reply 8

Bobbi!

Definitely do your washing up asap, and don't leave the food on the plate going moldy for weeks.

Do make a rota with flat makes about when to take the bins out, as it doesn't need to be done everyday as stated in the rota provided by my uni so some people end up missing their turn, then others think "Why should I do it when xxx didn't" and then it never gets done so stick to the rota you create as a flat.

DO NOT leave milk on the counter over the holidays!! (try not to leave anything out over the holidays!)

Don't set off the fire alarm.... again..........

Finally DO NOT "lose" your key and bang on the door at 4 in the morning till someone who has to be up for placement at 6 comes and lets you in.......... :angry:

Reply 9

username807367

I seem to have had the opposite problem to everyone else for the last year, everyone (except one) would do their washing up pretty promptly, the problem was they would stack it all in the drying rack and just leave it there. Meaning every time I washed up I had to wash one thing, dry it and put it away then wash the next as the drying rack was always completely full with things that were already dry.

The other main thing was respect other people's timetables. I was living with 2 tourism and 3 law students. They never had lectures before 11 and quite often had entire days off so every night there was screeching and shouting from the corridor until gone 2am when me and the other science student in the flat had 9am lectures and labs almost every day. This was through the exam period as well because they only had 2 exams each with about 2 weeks in between them to revise, whereas I had 4 exams in 11 days (which they knew, they just didn't care)

Reply 10

ftn17

These have been some excellent points that I would have never thought of :smile:

Thanks for taking the time to reply, I will keep checking back regularly if you think of anything else.

Reply 11

katehlouise

I can deal with a few dirty dishes (though I'd rather not) but it really irks me when someone will leave a dirty bowl full of left over food on the side. For days. It isn't difficult to just shove the rubbish in the bin!

Reply 12

RibenaRockstar

Like a few others I can deal with dirty dishes, as long as they're contained. It annoys me when people don't do the really tiny stuff, like putting the foil inner cap from their milk bottle in the bin. It takes less than five seconds.

Probably more of an issue for houses than halls due to layouts, but wandering round in just a towel after your shower, especially through the kitchen and living room. Dressing gowns have been around forever. Get thee to Primark!

Reply 13

xMissDebby

Dirty dishes really don't bother me. I know it bothers one of my flatmates, but I don't believe in wasting water washing up a plate, bowl and a fork when it can wait an extra day and have a couple more items in it to justify a wash. I come from an area where our water supply used to come from the river and was filtered through our own system, so I'm used to preserving water and making the most of it. I've explained this to them, but they still get irked about it. Its not a total mess, its a few plates and forks waiting an extra day if that. I don't give a **** if I don't pay for my mains water bill, when I get a house and have to pay for the amount of water we use I sure as hell don't want that bill to be through the roof.

I think my do is definitely approach problems in a cam manner, because my flatmates were not calm about said thing above at all and I'm not being funny, but if someone is being a complete dick to you, you don't want to solve the problem. Whereas if they're being calm and reasonable about it, you're more likely to want to get things done.

I think mutual respect is a big thing, you've got to respect everyone has different ways of doing things and everyone is from different backgrounds and you have to be lenient. No housemate is going to be perfect. You think you're doing everyone a favour by cleaning up for example, no. You may very well be annoying someone by being a "neat freak". You've just got to filter out problems I think. If someone is doing little things that irk you, ignore it. Unless it becomes a big issue. Don't make a mountain out of a mole hill. You gotta deal with other humans and their ways.

Reply 14

Olderandwiser23

If you know someone's in their room and knock on the door but they don't answer, don't keep knocking, they don't wanna see you. And don't call and text them after.

Reply 15

RibenaRockstar

Original post by Olderandwiser23

If you know someone's in their room and knock on the door but they don't answer, don't keep knocking, they don't wanna see you. And don't call and text them after.

That's a big thing in general. I've had to go into a party and cook dinner with podcasts way too loud on my headphones because I really didn't feel up to being social that day. Just because a housemate is seeming a little standoffish that day doesn't mean they don't like you. It just means they need a little quiet time. House sharing can be intense.

Reply 16

Joshale

do not be that person who complains all the time (the flatmate we have is now hated, and massive tensions/arguments have erupted as of this) e.g. not coming out because everyone in the flat/mates want to go to one club and she goes off sulking and claiming everyone is against her and attention seeks because she doesn't get's her own way, which now leaves her in an awkward position in the flat

do make an effort with everyone, speak to as many people as you can, go out (especially in freshers) as much as possible.

Reply 17

Joshale

Original post by Olderandwiser23

If you know someone's in their room and knock on the door but they don't answer, don't keep knocking, they don't wanna see you. And don't call and text them after.