TSR DECISIONS DROP IN Q and A NOW OPEN - GET FREE ADVICE HERE >>

Unsigning house with friends for a better house with strangers

I go to durham uni where there is usually often panic about housing. We signed really early and panicked and ended up getting an okay house that is quite far from the university. I have had a lot of anxiety over it for the past couple of months and am dreading living in my next year house even though it is with my friends to the point of not being able to study or eat.

I love the house I live in right now and there is an identical house next door that is available and I can sign. Is it worth the gamble of living with strangers to live in a good house where I will like the location and room? The only thing stopping me from finding a replacement and signing the new house is the risk of not having tidy/nice housemates.

Reply 1

Cranfield University

Official Rep

Hi @noooooooo9.

I think if you feel that way and you know it is going to be overall better for you in terms of you liking the location and the room, I would just go for it. Your wellbeing is the most important for you (not what your current flatmates think), so if you feel it will make your life better and nicer to move out, I would not hesitate.

Lucie
PhD Student
Student Ambassador
Cranfield University

Reply 2

University of Salford Student Rep

Official Rep

Original post by noooooooo9

I go to durham uni where there is usually often panic about housing. We signed really early and panicked and ended up getting an okay house that is quite far from the university. I have had a lot of anxiety over it for the past couple of months and am dreading living in my next year house even though it is with my friends to the point of not being able to study or eat.
I love the house I live in right now and there is an identical house next door that is available and I can sign. Is it worth the gamble of living with strangers to live in a good house where I will like the location and room? The only thing stopping me from finding a replacement and signing the new house is the risk of not having tidy/nice housemates.

Hi @noooooooo9

Thanks for asking this, a surprising number of students have this dilemma. I am a mature student and find it tough how early on in the year you need to decide where you are living for the following year and with whom.

This is a difficult decision, you have to do what is best for you long term. If you decide to move into the house next door, do you have any control over the other people who move in with you? Will you all need to share the same bathroom?

Are the friends that you have signed the contract with for a house next year pretty tidy, or have you never lived together before?

Have you tried chatting with your friends about it? You won't be the first student to pull out of a house move, I know plenty of students who have done this, and usually find a replacement housemate pretty easily, if this is what you are concerned about.

It might be worth speaking to student support about how you are feeling as they will be experienced in helping students in similar situations, they're often a brilliant listening ear and they can give housing advice too.

I am a mature student myself and like a clean house, so I decided to move into a smaller house with two housemates as I figured the maximum number of us trying to cook at once would probably be two people, the house is great as we have a main bathroom then a smaller one. Therefore, even if we are all leaving at the same time in the morning we can get out of the house on time. I had never met my housemates before and after being in this house for over three years now, and have had several different housemates as fellow housemates graduated. They have all been lovely and I found even if any housemates were messy, they were great at tidying up after themselves if one of us politely pointed out we'd had to clean up after them. We find a loose cleaning and household shopping rota works well so we can take turns to sort the house out. I did consider moving in with friends, but the location is great for my commute to university and parking (as I drive). However, I know plenty of my coursemates are enjoying living slightly further out with their friends, so it really depends on where you think you will feel most comfortable.

I don't know if that has helped?

Best of luck with your decision, whatever decision you make will be right for you!

Lucy 🙂
(Official Uni of Salford Student Rep)

(edited 2 months ago)

Reply 3

YSJstudents

Official Rep

Original post by noooooooo9

I go to durham uni where there is usually often panic about housing. We signed really early and panicked and ended up getting an okay house that is quite far from the university. I have had a lot of anxiety over it for the past couple of months and am dreading living in my next year house even though it is with my friends to the point of not being able to study or eat.
I love the house I live in right now and there is an identical house next door that is available and I can sign. Is it worth the gamble of living with strangers to live in a good house where I will like the location and room? The only thing stopping me from finding a replacement and signing the new house is the risk of not having tidy/nice housemates.

Hi!
I'm sorry you are struggling so much with this. My advice would be to really consider what your priorities are; is it the nice house in a good location, or is it the tidy housemates that you know? Obviously there are pros and cons for both but only you can know what is the most important to you.

Hope this helps! Faye 🙂

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Articles for you

How to find private off-campus student housing

Try out the app

Continue on web