The benefits and pitfalls of room-mates

THE OBVIOUS benefit of sharing a house or flat is the rental saving, says HouseME’s Ben Shaw. Along with this is the fact that room mates get to enjoy the community feel of living with people who often are, or become, close friends.

Housemates can also run a roster for cooking, which saves time, says TheRoomLink’s Liezl Hesketh.

“The other big advantage is social. Most people enjoy sharing their lives, so it is more fun to live in a house with other people.

“You get to make friends with your fellow tenants. This is particularly important if you’ve just moved to a new city for work or to study.”

In South Africa, security is also an issue, so living with other people means it is more likely someone will always be in the home.

“The home is not left empty if you go away for the weekend or a longer holiday. And a tenant or flatmate can look after your pets,” Hesketh says.

She says a trend overseas, now reaching South Africa, is the joining of budgets by professionals looking for luxury properties.

“On a single income there is no way you could ever afford to live a certain lifestyle, but by joining forces with a like-minded friend or couple, you can afford the properties that come with gyms, cafes, swimming pools and even concierge services.

“We expect this to grow as South Africa becomes a bigger consumer nation.”

While the benefits of house sharing are easy to see, there are also negatives.

The lack of privacy, for example, “does bother a number of tenants”, and is often the trigger to move out of a shared home, says Shaw.

So, too, is a change of relationship between those sharing.

“Housemates also struggle when there is no clear code of conduct or social contract to follow. Disagreements can lead to unhappiness within a lease should these not be addressed upfront.”

To address this, HouseME recommends always having a single master lease so that one tenant lays down the law for all other house mates and can act on behalf of the landlord.

Other downsides of sharing a home include: Noisy or messy room mates.

Roommates who hold social events that do not suit everyone in the home.

Not being able to put your own stamp on a shared space.

Possible lack of accountability for damage or breaking the conditions of the lease.

DIFFICULT Sharing a home with people who do not have similar tastes and habits can makelife unbearable. | PICTURE: Camilla Carvalho