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Do you want to live on your own, in a house or flat-share, with your girlfriend or boyfriend, or with a friend? Think carefully before you decide.
Finding someone to live with is only the first step. You should also check whose name the tenancy will be in, and what type of tenancy you'll have. These issues will have a big effect on your rights, especially if you ever fall out. Set a few ground rules when you move in which can help avoid major arguments later on.
Living on your own
Living on your own offers you freedom and independence, but it can be lonely. You will have to do everything for yourself, from cooking and cleaning to paying the bills.
Living on your own is usually the most expensive way to live as living with other people means you can share the costs. It is cheaper to live in a Housing Executive or housing association home, but you will usually have a long wait.
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Living with a landlord or a member of her/his family
If you share with your landlord, you will have very limited rights. Remember: the person you pay your rent to is your landlord. So even if you move into a friend's place as a lodger or subtenant, according to the law, they will be your landlord.
Living with your landlord or a member of their family will have a big impact on how easily you can be evicted. You are likely to be a licensee if you share a kitchen, bathroom or living room with your landlord, even if s/he's your friend or partner.
Licensees can be evicted more easily because they are only entitled to reasonable notice if the landlord wants them to leave. This could be as little as a couple of hours depending on your circumstances.
Get specialist advice if your landlord is trying to evict you without giving you at least 28 days' notice.
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Shared flats and houses
Sharing a house or flat is usually cheaper than living on your own. It may seem like great fun, but you may find that even people you really like can annoy you when you're living together. Everyone will have to learn to compromise, to pay their own way and to do their share of the housework if you want things to work out.
If you share your accommodation with people who aren't family members (such as a bed and breakfast, or a house split into bedsits), it might be legally classed as a house in multiple occupation (or HMO). If this is the case, the landlord has extra legal responsibilities to ensure that the property is managed properly.
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Moving in with your partner
Moving in with a partner can put a strain on your relationship, especially if you haven't been together very long. It's not always a good idea to move in together simply because it's cheaper than renting separately.
You may enjoy staying over at their place for a few nights, but it is very different when you live together all the time. Discuss it properly, agree some ground rules and make sure you're ready to live together.
If you split up, contact an advice agency. Your rights can vary, depending on your circumstances and your status.
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Moving in with friends
Moving in with friends can be a good solution. But you still need to be clear what the arrangements are. Your rights will be very different if you move into your friend's place as a lodger or subtenant, than if you have joint or separate tenancies in a shared house or flat.
If you have to leave your current home and have nowhere else to go, staying on a friend's sofa might be a good solution for a short time. But it can become problematic. You may feel like you are getting in the way, and you will have very limited rights if they want you to leave.
If you are in this situation, contact an advice agency. An adviser can help you work out if you are entitled to help from the Housing Executive.
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Getting A Place (
