Keeping Your Student Home In Good Condition - By: Gen Federico

A big issue in many student homes can be: who looks after the communal areas? Indoors, these include the kitchen, bathroom, halls, staircase, and sometimes a shared sitting or dining room. Outside there could be garden or yard areas, a garage or shed, a gate and footpath. Though your landlord is responsible for repairs, it's your responsibility as tenants to keep everything tidy, and to alert the landlord immediately to any problems which will require his/her input. Your bedroom is generally your own responsibility but be aware that many landlords make regular checks on their properties so it’s a good idea to keep these areas clean and tidy generally too.

At House Hustler we recommend you all sit down early in your tenancy to agree the shared management of these areas. If everything is left to one or two people, it causes much bad feeling and many house disputes are caused by chores left undone.

Discuss who will undertake the tasks required. These may include: washing up, putting dishes away, cleaning the cooker and microwave, emptying kitchen bins and seeing to the recycling, dusting and hoovering, checking the smoke alarms, replacing lightbulbs, cleaning the bathroom, wiping down doors, handles, light switches and sockets, sweeping and tidying the yard or front doorstep and removing litter, possibly gardening (lawn mowing, hedge trimming), and generally clearing up on a daily or weekly basis.

Firstly it is best to come to an agreement about general mess i.e. leaving dirty mugs in the lounge or using every pan in the house for a meal and then going away for the weekend without cleaning them – leaving the mess to others. A few house rules about being considerate to your housemates can make the world of difference in how you all get along.

Allocate tasks to each housemate, possibly using a rota. Write a job-sheet and display it in a place where everyone has access – like the kitchen. You may decide to all chip in together to hire a housecleaner. This saves time and arguments, and will keep your student property in decent nick, but it must be paid for jointly and a couple of hours a week from a cleaner won’t generally include a week’s worth of washing up or any laundry work. At £12-£20 per week, it may be money well spent. However, if your budgets are limited, collective action will get the job done as long as everyone agrees to take part.

About the Author

The Article is written by househustler.co.uk providing Student Homes and Student Accommodation Services. Visit http://www.househustler.co.uk for more information on househustler.co.uk Products & Services___________________________Copyright information This article is free for reproduction but must be reproduced in its entirety, including live links & this copyright statement must be included. Visit househustler.co.uk for more services!

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Gen-Federico/63813

Additional Articles From - Home | Travel & leisure | Destinations