The flat group chat
Lesson 3 of 14 in our free Relationships, Family & Money guide: a 5-minute money game with the key points below.
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Free with a code from your uni, college, council, landlord or employer (worth £600/year). Lesson 1 of Relationships, Family & Money is free for everyone.
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Questions you'll answer
You're all on one joint tenancy. A housemate stops paying their share of rent. What can happen?
Quick facts
- Broadband → Split equally. Everyone uses it, nobody's measuring gigabytes. Equal is easiest.
- Cleaning supplies → Split equally. Shared house, shared bleach.
- Takeaway one housemate ordered for themselves → Split by who used it. Your chips, your bill.
- A housemate's partner who basically lives there and showers twice a day → Split by who used it. Am I the drama? No. A regular extra person can fairly chip in on bills — talk about it kindly.
- Fact: “Whoever's name is on a bill is legally responsible for paying it.” — The supplier chases the account holder, even if housemates promised to pay them back.
- Fact: “If every housemate is a full-time student, the house is usually exempt from council tax.” — All-student households are generally exempt. Get a student certificate from your uni and tell the council.
- Myth: “Missing a shared energy bill only affects the house, not anyone's credit file.” — Missed payments can show on the account holder's credit file. Another reason to spread bills or pay on time.