Avoiding flatmate feuds

Living with flatmates is never guaranteed to go smoothly, with arguments over the heating, cleaning and bills sometimes being a daily occurrence. But what happens when it starts to really get you down? Here’s the surefire way to keep flatmate fights to a minimum.

1. Keep it IRL

This is probably the best way to sort out disagreements. Texting and messaging can’t always account for tone; your messages can always come across differently which can sometimes cause more arguments. My advice would be to always ask: ‘Can we have a chat about this when I’m free?’ Grab a cup of tea in the lounge or go to the pub and have a good chat and get things sorted. Leaving things online causes even more of an atmosphere between you and you flatmates and things may never get fixed if you don’t approach them!

2. Set boundaries and rules

Before you move in, have a talk about house rules and what you all expect from each other. With the pandemic, it’s more important than ever to keep you and your flatmates safe! Make sure you know who is coming in and out of the house and everyone is respecting boundaries and privacy.

3. Bills and money

One of the banes of every second years’ life is setting up bills and managing the money for each one. That doesn’t even include the stress of making sure everyone pays their share. If you want to avoid drama, set up standing orders between you and your housemates for each month. Then, money won’t be a worry at all and you’ll always get the bills paid on time!

4. Don’t be petty 

Trust me, I know it’s easy to kick off about the heating being too high or someone using too much water, we’ve all been there at some point. But, it’s in your best interests to keep things mature. We are at university after all, try to remember we’re adults before throwing any tantrums. 

5. Socialise!

Always try and spend some time with your flatmates. You don’t have to be a social butterfly by any means, but having a flat movie night/takeaway is a great way to spend time with your flatmates and make them feel included in the dynamic. It’s so important to not leave people out, it creates an atmosphere within your flat and can make some people really unhappy. 

So there you have it, there are the best ways to avoid fights between you and your flatmates. Keep calm, have chats when things go wrong, and enjoy sharing a house with your friends!

Feature Image: Pixabay @Broesis

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Last modified: 7th November 2020