CONTENTS. MONEY Decide what you can afford before you start house hunting. Remember you will have to budget for gas, electricity, water, phone, internet and a TV licence, as well as food and general household items. One of the bonuses of being a student is that you don’t have to pay council tax for your house. However bear in mind that should you decide to live with a non-student you will be required to pay council tax with a 25% discount. 

CHOOSE YOUR HOUSEMATES CAREFULLY This is very important, as one of the main problems in shared houses is disagreements between housemates. Conflicting lifestyles, recreational habits and personality clashes can cause misery and often come to a head during exam time. Remember you are signing a legally binding contract and will not be able to simply walk away. Have a think about your own lifestyle and what you would like in a housemate, for example reliability with money. If you are an early riser who prefers a quiet and tidy house, don’t choose to live with a messy party animal – a fun friend is not necessarily a good housemate. 

LIST THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS Start looking early and be prepared to compromise. As a group decide on a lead tenant and how to split and share responsibility for bills. Consider how you will pay the deposit and who will be the guarantor for each occupier. What are the deal-breakers: number of bedrooms? Parking spaces? Proximity to campus?