Living together with your friends can be a great experience but sometimes practical things can get in the way, here are some tips that you should consider when you move in:

• Whether your housemate is your best friend or a complete stranger, it is paramount you discuss one another’s expectations for a continued happy house.  House rules will be the main one and these should cover things like bills, cleanliness, shared fridge/cupboard space, purchasing of shared essentials, when significant others and/or guests stay over, noise preference (morning and evenings) and what you will all do if someone has a problem or is unhappy.  Compromise is the key here and each person should say what behaviour is non-negotiable for them.  Everyone will have their own deal breaker!
• Try your best to live up to the expectations that you have set with your housemates.  Remember, on occasions you may have to bend the rules slightly but be upfront about this in advance so that people are aware.
• Communication is key!  You cannot expect your housemates to be quiet before 10pm when it suits you, if you are up having dance offs into the early hours of the morning on other nights!  If something is bothering you, talk about it and don’t let things build up.  If you need to talk to your housemates about this, suggest a beer, cook dinner together or grab a pizza!  It isn’t the end of the world if one of your housemates eats your last chocolate biscuit, however if this happens continuously and it is bothering you it is time to have a chat!
• Have a job list for the house for example emptying bins, buying the shared essentials, cleaning shared spaces, hoovering, washing floors.  Given the fact that people’s timetables change quite frequently depending on your course, it is a good idea to have a weekly job list rather than a daily or monthly one.  Try and get everyone to stick to it as much as possible.
• Even in the busiest houses, it is always a great idea to have a house night together.  This could be going out in York, having a meal together, a film night, or a social activity.  Spending time with your housemates every so often goes a long way!
• Small gestures are key, like displaying a house photo on the fridge or offering to go to the shop when one housemate is feeling under the weather or buying that light bulb for the one in hallway that has blown.