Moving in with flatmates

There are ways to find rooms to rent in existing flatshares. If you want to move in with friends, you can find an entire flat to rent.

When you move in with flatmates you should sign a tenancy agreement. You can decide how you’ll split rent and bills.

Finding a room in a flatshare

Check websites like Spareroom, roomies, S1 Homes, Rightmove, Zoopla, Gumtree and OpenRent. On some websites you can filter for flatshares or houseshares to show only homes looking for a new flatmate.

You could also try:

contacting your university or college students services if you’re a student
contacting local letting agencies to ask if they have rooms in flatshares available
checking local social media groups, notice boards or newspaper listings
asking your friends, family or colleagues if they know about any rooms for rent

When you're looking for a room in an existing flatshare, try to view the room and meet the flatmates before signing a tenancy agreement.

Check our advice on finding a private rented home.

Finding a flat to rent with friends

Check websites like S1 Homes, Rightmove, Zoopla, Gumtree, and OpenRent.

You could also try:

contacting your university or college students services if you’re students
contacting local letting agencies to ask what flats they have available

If you’re moving in with 2 or more people who are not family members, you’ll usually be in a house of multiple occupation (HMO). The landlord must have an HMO licence, and the home must meet certain standards.

Signing a tenancy agreement

Before you move in, your landlord should give you a tenancy agreement to sign. Make sure you understand the terms in it. Check our advice if your landlord does not give you a tenancy agreement.

Usually if you’re renting privately from a landlord or letting agency you’ll have a private residential tenancy. This means:

the tenancy has no fixed end date
the landlord can only evict you for specific reasons
the landlord is responsible for most repairs

Check our advice on your rights in a private residential tenancy.

You'll have a different type of tenancy if you're:

Signing a joint tenancy agreement

You’ll have a joint tenancy if your tenancy agreement has every flatmate’s name on it. You’ll all sign a copy of it.

With a joint tenancy you're all equally responsible for paying the rent. If one person does not pay, the landlord can ask any of the other tenants to pay. This is called joint and several liability.

You'll need permission from the other tenants and the landlord to end your part of the tenancy. If you leave without permission they could continue to charge you rent.

Check our advice on your rights in a joint tenancy.

Signing an individual tenancy agreement

You’ll usually have an individual tenancy if your tenancy agreement has just your name on it. It should specify that you are renting one room, and the rent you need to pay. Your flatmates will sign their own individual tenancy agreements.

An individual tenancy agreement means you only need to pay your rent and you cannot be forced to pay your flatmates’ rent.

You might have less control over who you live with. If a flatmate moves out, the landlord could decide on who to move in to replace them.

If you have an individual agreement you do not need to get permission to end your tenancy.

If you live in an HMO and have an individual tenancy, your room should have a lock on the door.

Paying a deposit

Private landlords and letting agents can charge up to 2 months' rent as a deposit. This must be held in a deposit protection scheme. The deposit is returned at the end of the tenancy.

If you have an individual tenancy, you’ll pay your own deposit.

If you have a joint tenancy with your flatmates, you’ll usually need to choose a lead tenant to:

collect money and pay the deposit for the flat
give their contact details to the deposit protection scheme
give each housemate their share of the deposit when it’s returned at the end of the tenancy

Check our advice on paying a deposit in a private tenancy.

Paying bills

Every tenant is equally responsible for paying council tax and utility bills. This means if one person does not pay, the other tenants can be asked to cover it.

If bills are not included in your rent, you’ll need to decide who is responsible for signing up and paying for them. These are usually:

water
gas and electricity
internet

Paying council tax

If there are 2 or more adults living in the flat, the household will usually have to pay a full council tax bill.

Some people are exempt from council tax, meaning they do not have to pay it. These include:

full-time students
apprentices
people with certain learning disabilities or mental impairments

If all the flatmates are students, you could get a council tax exemption.

Check our advice on:

Living with flatmates

Keep common areas such as the kitchen, bathroom, or living room clean and tidy. For example, wash up any pots and pans straight after you use them.

You could agree to a cleaning rota with your flatmates so everyone is doing their fair share.

Do not enter another flatmate’s room without permission.

If there is a conflict, check our advice on resolving problems with flatmates.

Last updated: 27 November 2024