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One of the most commonly asked questions we're asked is if we can trial a housemate for a week to see if we all get along. The answer is yes. In fact, we encourage it. But if you are having them stay as a trial, make sure they still have a home to go back to in case either party decides it's not working. It's also a good idea to be very clear about the fact it is a trial and be upfront about what your expectations are in terms of a desired outcome.
In any case, it's a good idea to always consider the following steps first as they'll help you make a better decision when choosing who you're going to house share with in the first place.
Connect with people who have similar values and personalities
As you would have learned, the questions in our profile area are mostly about who you are, your personality and values. All users, whether they’re a household or housemate are asked the same questions. This provides you with a good idea of whether you’d be compatible or not.
Chat using our private messaging system
Once you’ve found a few who you like, you can reach out via our private internal messaging system and start chatting with them. When you’re ready, you can agree to have a phone call. Once you’ve had a chat, we encourage you to meet. You can arrange a meeting in a local café. If you’re comfortable you can meet at the home and share a meal together. This gives the housemate an opportunity to see what the place is like and to meet the people who live there.
Conduct an interview
Although this sounds quite formal, it's really about asking a series of questions that help you to better understand each other and how you like to live. To make it easier for you, we've created a household and housemate questionnaire that takes all the guess work out of it for you. Make sure you add any additional questions that are right for you.
Agree to a one week trial
If you're fairly new to house sharing, a one week trial could be reassuring for all parties. Make sure everyone is clear that it is a trial and if it doesn't work out then the housemate returns to their current home. This gives all parties the opportunity to see if it’s a good fit and if you’d like to continue the house share on a longer term basis. It’s a great way to take the uncertainty out of the decision and give each other an opportunity to relax into the house share without the pressure.
A tip for households
Give your housemate some time to settle in. They’re coming into your home and need to learn how you live. Have a welcoming dinner on the first night and introduce them to other members of your household.
A tip for housemates
Don’t close the door to your existing home until you and your household decide that you’d like it to be an ongoing arrangement. That way you have a home to go back to and the confidence knowing you have a choice.
