Every shared living situation runs on a mix of written lease terms and unwritten common sense. These are general norms that tend to hold up across co-living households. None of it replaces your actual lease, which is always the final word on specific policies.
- Your bedroom is yours. Private or shared, your room is space you lease under your own agreement.
- The common spaces are, well, common. Kitchen, living room, and laundry are shared with your housemates. It's worth picturing day-to-day life with shared space before you sign.
- Clean up after yourself in shared spaces promptly. Dishes, counters, and shared appliances get used by everyone. Leaving them for "later" affects other people's day too.
- Label and respect what's not yours. Shared fridges work best when everyone can tell at a glance what's communal and what's someone else's.
- Keep noise down during quiet hours. Housemates keep different schedules. Many houses set quiet hours overnight, so ask what the hours are and follow them.
- Communicate about guests. Your housemates live there too, so let them know about guests, especially overnight guests. Ask what the house allows, including how many nights a guest can stay. In a shared bedroom, your roommate must be informed and agree before an overnight stay. You’re responsible for your guests, and they follow the same house rules you do.
- Report maintenance issues promptly. A small leak or appliance issue is easier to fix early. Tell the property manager or operator as soon as you notice it.
- Respect move-in and move-out schedules. Give housemates a heads-up around big moves so the shared spaces don't get unexpectedly disrupted.
- Assume good faith first. Most household friction comes from miscommunication. A direct conversation solves more than an assumption does.
- Know who to contact. For anything beyond a quick housemate conversation, know who handles it, whether that is the operator, a property manager, or a designated contact in the house. Reach out before an issue sits too long.
- Read your actual lease. This list is general guidance; your lease is the document that governs your specific situation.
None of this is complicated. It's mostly just the same consideration that makes any shared living situation work, applied consistently.