Safety Tips for Room Seekers

Co-living is starting to rise worldwide, with young professionals known as the “rent generation”. While it can be a new and exciting way to meet like-minded people with similar living experiences, save money, and make friends, there are still many things that new renters should be mindful of to ensure their experience is safe and fun.

Lock Your Door

For anyone thinking about entering co living apartments, safety should be fundamental. Co-living is a great way to meet friends while saving money. However, one of our top tips is to lock your door each time you leave your apartment. Such a simple step can make a crucial difference to the quality of life you want.

Even if you trust your roommates, you may not always know the friends that they invite into your home. Although anything terrible is unlikely to happen, it is always better to be safe than sorry, avoiding any uncomfortable dynamics and unsafe situations.

For lovers of the outdoors with an adventurous side, you may find that if you’re spending extended periods of time out of the house, always remember to lock your door. Speaking of locking your door, it is also a good idea to get into the habit of locking your door before you go to sleep — the thought of someone creeping into your room as you drift off to sleep is not worth thinking about.

Learn About Your Roommates

This may seem more difficult to judge from the beginning, but knowing your roommates is a good way to know they are the kind of people you would like to live with and if you are the kind of person they would like to live with, too. Setting something up like a drink or lunch date can be the perfect way to know if you’re each other’s kind of people.

If renting through a dedicated company, you will be safe knowing that the company has already vetted your new roommates, giving you 100% confidence in the level of trust you give them.

Update Your Roommates

Your housemates become like your little family away from your family, so you should speak to them as if they are. Keep your roommates up-to-date with your plans if you’re leaving the house; even a simple shout of ‘I’m heading to the shop’ can go far in keeping you safe. If you’re going away for a weekend, let people know where and with whom.

You don’t want your roommates to worry when you’re going to be making your return, and if anything does happen to go wrong, they’ll be aware and be able to alert the right people. These scenarios are improbable, but it’s good to think about everything to make your co-living experience as safe and exciting as possible.

Learn About Your Area

Whether you’re co-living or living alone, it is always important to know your neighborhood. Research the area, speak to people, and understand the places where things are happening and where things aren’t so much. Having a broader understanding of the area will also indicate the kind of places that suit your interests and where you can make new friends. 

Store Your Valuables Away

It is unlikely that you will have any major problems with the people you cohabit with. However, keeping your valuable belongings in a secure location is still a good idea. You should take extra care of items such as computers, phones, tablets, money, and jewelry.

You don’t have to go to the extremes of buying a personal safe for your bedroom but don’t leave things lying around in the communal areas of your home or working spaces. Not only will you keep your possessions safe, but the place will look tidier without all your belongings lying around — something your roommates will definitely appreciate.

Set Some Ground Rules

Everyone who begins co-living wants the experience to be fun, exciting, and not too serious. However, it is important to set some ground rules from the first day to ensure you are all on the same page from the beginning. Be aware of the things you like and dislike, but be open to the preferences of your housemates. Full transparency is essential to maintain a healthy living relationship and avoid potential conflict.

If you ever feel unsafe or uncomfortable, it is important to talk and make people aware of how and why you’re feeling a certain way. This openness will lessen conflict in the home, something that can erupt at a moment’s notice. Avoid encounters and negative situations by letting people know exactly how you feel in the home you’re living in.

Summary

Follow these simple tips, and your co-living experience will surely get off to the perfect start. Staying safe is essential in any living situation, and the only way you will feel entirely at home is if you feel safe in the place where you rest your head at night.