Living amongst a co-living community can be convenient and expand your social circle. When you sign a lease to live in a co-living apartment, your landlord is likely to establish several rules or terms and conditions of your stay. You’ll need to play your part in adhering to these rules to foster good relations with your landlord and to contribute to a positive living environment for you and other residents.
If you’re new to co-living, here are some of the common rules or terms and conditions to be aware about.
1. Rental and payment due dates
Your Tenancy Agreement will stipulate the amount payable each month, the payment method and when the rental is due. Be sure to set yourself reminders to pay the rent on time. Otherwise, some landlords may impose late payment charges for rent that has not been paid within the grace period.
2. Security deposit
A security deposit will need to be paid to the landlord at the beginning of your lease to cover any damages incurred to the property during your stay. This security deposit will be refunded at the end of the tenancy if there are no damages.
3. Shared responsibilities
Although housekeeping services are usually provided for co-living residences, tenants are still expected to maintain a decent level of cleanliness throughout their stay. For example, they should throw the rubbish out every day and ensure that they wash their kitchenware, dishes and cutlery after cooking. They should not leave unwashed dishes in the sink so as not to inconvenience other residents.
4. Respect for others
Tenants should respect other residents in the same unit and be considerate. They should respect each other’s privacy, personal spaces and boundaries. In addition, space in the fridge, kitchen and shoe cabinets are allocated to the tenants by the landlord so that everybody has a space to keep their belongings. Tenants should not use or take their flatmates’ personal belongings.
5. Quiet hours
Some landlords may impose quiet hours and residents are expected to keep noise to a minimum to respect the rest and privacy of others.
A co-living community can be warm and supportive, provided everyone remains respectful of each other. So to make the co-living journey an inclusive one, do pay attention to the rules that your landlord imposes and make sure you adhere to them.
