Sharing a flat with friends has fast become one of the UK’s most popular renting options. And for good reason too, by flat-sharing not only do you get to live with some of your closest friends, but you also get to split the bill between you, 9 times out of 10 cutting costs.

You may well have done this before, and if so, you may want to continue your search for the next best article, however, if you haven’t, then this is the blog for you, as we provide you with the ultimate beginners guide to flat-sharing.

First off, what exactly is a flat-share? Well, pardon the pun, but its exactly what it says on the tin. A flatshare is when two or more people live together in the same apartment. You all get your own room and share a kitchen and living area. Also for some, known as the best place for a party, but don't tell the landlord…

Flat-sharing is the ultimate way to cut down living costs and doesn't necessarily always have to happen with friends, plenty of people within the city are looking for others to move into an apartment together to split these bills. You’ll find a number of apps and websites to help you lead the search on this, apps such as ‘Spare Room’ and ‘Ideal Flatmate’.

However, before we get started, there’s a couple of things we need to know.

Before you flat-share your first property, your landlord may ask you for a reference and want o check your credit, don’t worry, this is standard procedure, in order for this you’ll need to provide a number of documents to your landlord for this to take place, these are:

• ID
• Bank statements
• Address History
• Proof of employment
• Previous landlord references

Landlords want to know who they’re renting to, and you should want to know who you’re living with, so take comfort in knowing procedures like this are being carried out, for both your benefit and for the landlords.
Before you make any major decisions, know your budgets, know your costs and know your incomings.

Here are areas you simply need to know the cost of:

• Monthly Rent
• Deposits
• Council Tax for the area
• Average Electricity, Water & Gas bills
• Broadband

Keep in check that these prices can vary, so if your flatmates in the shower for a whole concert every morning, don't be afraid to bang on the door to get them out, or make them pay their fair share. Remember, there are apps for this too, a good one being acasa, a bill expenses app.

Here’s a little bit of advice from us here at Noah’s Box to leave you with before you go on your flat-share adventure.

1. Don’t rush your decision
2. Make sure you have all the information you need about your flatmates
3. Make sure you have all the information you need about your new apartment
4. Gather up all your documentation
5. Keep a shared folder with all the bills, contracts and other important papers
6. Enjoy the ride!