It’s not just landlords: many flatmates are now imposing draconian rules. But the real problem is a system that pits tenants against each other
L
ast week, I came across a flurry of ads on the house-share site SpareRoom sounding less like they were for cosy, inviting living arrangements than for boarding schools. “Please note – no surprise guests, no music and no use of the living room because it doubles as a bedroom,” wrote one “current flatmate”. Reading it, I wondered if there would be a curfew too.
The tendency of some landlords to police their tenants’ behaviour has been well documented, imposing rules that range from the reluctantly accepted, such as no pets allowed, to the absurd: not using the kitchen at night; ideally being away at weekends; and, in one case, effectively restricting use of the toilet due to a noise ban after 8.30pm extending to the sound of walking.
But ads from flatmates stipulating rules for house-sharing are becoming more common. One person requests that her new flatmate isn’t a big kitchen user. “I’m in and out of the kitchen within 10 minutes,” she clarifies. “Ideally looking for someone similar.” What I personally can cook in just 10 minutes, I’m not sure – but perhaps that’s the point.
