Pros and Cons of Renting with Roommates

Featured image

Alt-text: Three people behind boxes for moving in.

Having roommates can be a blessing or a curse, depending on one’s personal preferences and lifestyle. One of the main factors determining the success of your cohabitation with another person is that person’s personality. But, let’s put that aside for the moment because even when you find yourself a roommate that matches your social needs perfectly, there will still be reasons why living with that person is a good idea and vice versa. So, to help you make up your mind and not make a mistake, here are the pros and cons of renting with roommates.  

Pros of renting with roommates

            The costs of living are significantly smaller

                Sharing a home with someone means sharing the costs of living as well. That is the first thing that comes to mind when discussing the pros of having a roommate. When that time comes for a landlord to collect rent, it is much easier if you are not the only one to dig into your pocket for it. Bills are also easier to digest when you only have to cover half of them. All that makes your life a lot less stressful. Unplanned house expenses of the tenants are also more bearable when shared. So, opting for cohabitation with someone instead of flying solo is much cheaper. 

Caption: One of the biggest advantages of renting with roommates is that you get to share the living expenses.

Alt-text: A woman counting money.

            You always have company

This one is for those that hate being alone, and those are usually people that have siblings and large families. When you live alone, there’s a chance you will start experiencing some degree of depression and melancholy. Nowadays, we constantly read about attacks on women and break-ins, which can cause fear of being home alone. Having company means a lot in those situations as it can contribute to feeling much safer. Most of us usually pick a good friend for a roommate, so whenever we feel down, that person can offer a friendly conversation or a shoulder to cry on. Socializing has been proven to help people through rough times, so this point in favor of renting with a flatmate is essential. 

            The chores are split in half

Another beauty of having a roommate is that you don’t have to do all the tedious work around your home. As you get to split the expenses, you get to split the chores too. Maintaining a home is highly tedious for many, so this argument is persuasive. Also, errands require some time which none of us is willing to waste on such a tedious activity. Getting to do only some of them is more comfortable and a lifesaver in situations when you have other important stuff to focus on.

Caption: All those tedious house chores become easier to finish when you don’t have to do them all by yourself.

Alt-text: Two people cleaning a home together.

            Having a roommate is great preparation for a life with a partner

Life with a roomie can be an excellent boot camp for your future life with a partner. It will teach you a lot about how to behave in such a situation and what mistakes you shouldn’t make in the future. Many people’s relationships fall apart once they start living together, and practicing beforehand may only do good for you and your future romantic relationship. After all, if you and your roommate conclude you shouldn’t live together anymore, you will tell each other why. That will probably not end your friendship, but you can dwell on what the other person told you, see your mistakes, and not let them happen again. You will learn to live with people this way and save your future relationships from falling apart due to problems with living together.

Cons of renting with roommates

            You have to adapt your habits to another person

No matter how great your roommate may be, this person probably has some annoying habit you will have to tolerate. And guess what? You do too! When you live alone, you can practice your little rituals all you want, but living with another person requires you to adapt your behavior so you don’t irritate or disturb them. When you move to an apartment together, all may seem to go well. You may organize to settle in with ease; you may even get along great in the beginning. But the truth is that sooner or later you will find out things about each other you will not like.                 

            Privacy is lost to a degree

Unless you decided to rent a huge place where you and your flat buddy can be separated by a room or two, your privacy is going to be degraded to a degree. Your dirty laundry will sooner or later be seen by your friend, for example. They will soon learn about your way of life, including the tidbits you might not want to share so eagerly. Your phone conversations will be overheard, and some of your secrets too. Sharing the bathroom can be tricky for introverts, yet everyone with a roommate needs to get used to. 

Finally, your other friends will have to regularly encounter your roommate, and so will you when it comes to your roommate’s friends. Sometimes one wants a bit of peace, yet your roomie might be in the hang-out-with-buddies mood. All in all, you can’t expect too much alone time when you live with someone.

            It’s harder to study when there is noise around you

Those with siblings might not find this argument as relevant as single children. In general, most people prefer silence when they are studying. Although it is financially far better to rent with a roommate than alone, you must consider whether it wouldn’t adversely affect your studying. If living with someone becomes an obstacle to getting a degree, financial factors do not justify it. Of course, if the apartment you are renting, for example, has a room you alone will be spending time in, it is a different matter altogether.

Caption: Studying can be challenging when your roomie is making noise around you.

Alt-text: A man sitting next to a laptop on the sofa and studying from a book.

Bottom line

As you can see, there are plenty of pros and cons of renting with roommates. All you need to do is analyze them all and see how they apply to your lifestyle. With a bit of well-placed self-analysis, you will choose what’s best for you and enjoy what the future has in store.

Meta description: Renting with roommates has its advantages and disadvantages. Here are some to consider when making the decision that is right for you.

Key phrase: renting with roommates

Photos used:

https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-counting-cash-money-4475523/

https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-sitting-on-sofa-reading-book-1467564/

https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-couple-cleaning-the-living-room-8055200/

https://www.pexels.com/photo/2-women-and-man-surrounded-by-boxes-7464473/