Our Top Tips - How to get on with your Housemates!

14/11/2011

Your housemates are, at least for the duration of term-time, your most intimate associates; it helps if you get on well with them. Your Leeds student property is your home, your world; a whole self-contained ecosystem; and it is up to you to maintain a healthy equilibrium. Therefore, we've compiled 10 helpful tips to a happy house.

1. Respect your housemates' privacy. Even good mates can get sick of the sight of each other after months of sharing their Leeds student house. If the bedroom door is closed, assume that means “do not enter”.

2. Do the washing up. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, is more infuriating than wanting to cook a meal only to discover all the pans, plates and forks are caked in dried on curry. Wash what you use after you've used it.

3. Do not use up all the milk, save a few drops, and put the carton back in the fridge. Take the hit and buy a new carton. You can then guilt your housemates into buying you a pint later! It's all about the social interplay; play well and you'll win big.

4. Just discovered a new song that you've instantly fallen in love with and you just want to listen to it over and over and over again? Well, don't. Unless you're wearing headphones. No one else wants to hear it.

5. Be there when they want to moan. You don't care about their insignificant problems, but if you listen to them, they will listen to you when you need someone to moan at when you have insignificant problems of your own.

6. Ask for their permission to use their stuff. Don't assume a what's - yours-is-mine attitude just because you live together.

7. Be responsible. If you break something, or make a mess, deal with it yourself. No one likes having to sort out other people's mess. If no one takes responsibility, your shiny new Leeds student property will soon descend into a bomb-blasted pile of suck.

8. You're going to be sharing bills, so don't take advantage if say you're the only one using the landline to call your long-distance girlfriend/boyfriend and expect your housemates to pay equal share for it. Money is tight for everyone.

9. Got an alarm clock? If you can, keep the volume down. Just because you need to get up early doesn't mean you have to wake up everyone else. Remember - you're in a Leeds Student House - no one else will be getting up!!

10. Have a rota for cleaning communal areas, the kitchen, and the bathroom. Cleaning student properties is never fun, not even in Leeds, but as long as you all agree to share the burden equally, your student living experience will be a more harmonious one.

So you see, it's all pretty basic stuff, but it's important. Abide by these 10 simple tips and your Leeds student house will be happy and harmonious. And for the love of Zeus, don't forget to do the washing up!

These words of wisdom were brought to you by Tom - former student and compulsive washer of dishes.