It's important to have a proper conversation with your housemate. Find out when they plan to leave and how you can help. Having things go smoothly is only going to make your life easier so give them a hand!
People may choose to move out for financial reasons, a change in career or education plans, health reasons or it may just simply not be a good fit. Although the last one may sound disappointing, it may be the best in the long run so stay optimistic.
Review your tenancy agreement:
Check your tenancy agreement to see what the requirements are for giving notice and ending the tenancy. Although some of this may be up to the person leaving, if you are on a group tenancy you will all be responsible for finding a replacement housemate.
Start looking for a replacement housemate:
Finding a replacement may sound like a big task, but social media is a really good starting point for this. Start looking as soon as possible. You can use social media, university notice boards, or student housing websites to advertise the available room.
Also, word-or-mouth can be equally as effective. Often, people will know others looking for a room and it can make you feel more at ease to know who they are a bit already.
Agree on how to divide rent and bills:
If your housemate is leaving mid-tenancy, you'll need to work out how to divide the rent and bills for the remaining period of the tenancy, that is fair for everyone involved. You may even need to negotiate a new agreement with your landlord or letting agency, so let them know about the situation as each letting agent is different.
Conduct a thorough inventory check:
Before they move out, it would be smart to check that all the shared items, such as furniture and appliances, or things that are part of the property are all there and not broken or anything. This can help avoid disputes over missing items or damage later on and saves a potentially awkward conversation a few months down the line!
For more help on what an inventory is and why it is so important read what is an inventory and why do I need one?
Prepare for the next tenant:
Once your housemate has moved out, make sure their room is clean. They should have already done this, but it never hurts to do a quick once over! It may be nice also to tidy and clean any shared spaces and prepare as a house for the new arrival. You may not know the new tenant very well, so it might be a nice idea to help them carry their stuff or arrange for dinner that night so you can all get to know each other.
This is a big process so it is important to remember some key things to help yourself and the others you live with. And who knows, maybe your new housemate will be your new favourite person!
Do you a spare room to fill? Check out studenthousemates.com the latest website from Accommodation for Students.
