The rules of shared housing

Welcome to read more about Kuopas’ shared housing! Whether you are a current tenant or are considering moving into one of our shared apartments, this article is for you. Kuopas offers a range of housing options, from studio flats and family apartments to 2-4 room shared apartments, providing an affordable and sociable living experience. In addition to being affordable, shared housing also offers a unique opportunity to meet new people and prevent loneliness.

Rules

To make it easy and comfortable for everyone to live in a shared apartment, we have set out some basic rules. These are listed below:

  1. Cleaning turns
    • Everyone must clean up their own mess.
    • Each person participates in turn in cleaning the common areas.
    • Common areas’ cleaning turns are marked in a shared calendar (you can use this Kuopas’ cleaning checklist).
    • Shared apartments’ common kitchen, hallway, bathroom and toilet must be kept clean togehter. The property of others must also be respected.
  2. Quiet Hours
    • Quiet hours start at 10:00 PM and end at 6:00 AM.
    • Try to avoid loud noises also outside of quiet hours, so everyone can study in peace.
    • In addition to adhering to Kuopas’ Rules of Order, agree on common rules for activities like watching TV and listening to music.
  3. Shared / Personal items
    • Agree together on whether guests are allowed and when.
    • Always ask for permission if you want to use your roommate’s items.
  4. Inviting Guests
    • Agree together on whether guests are allowed and when.
    • Always inform your roommates in advance of guests’ arrival.
    • Overnight guests are allowed with the roommates’ permission, but staying overnight should not be continuous or long-term.
    • If you arrange a party and invite guests, you must also consider the comfort and study peace of roommates and neighbors.
  5. Write Down the Rules
    • It’s easier to follow common rules if they are written down. Use this Kuopas template as a guide.
  6. Other Considerations
    • Smoking is strictly prohibited in all (shared) apartments.
    • Keeping animals is allowed in communal living only with the permission of all tenants. Notify our customer service and your roommates if you have animals or if you are allergic.

Talk and communicate together

Effective communication is the key to successful co-housing. Discussing habits, preferences, and concerns early helps prevent misunderstandings. If conflicts arise, approach them with empathy and a willingness to find common ground. In difficult situations, you can fill in a disturbance notice and send it to our customer service.

Tips for living together

Getting to know your roommates makes living in a cell more pleasant. Organise a weekly dinner, plan a movie night or simply chat regularly to get to know your roommate better. These small interactions can strengthen bonds and create a more cohesive living environment.

Towards a comfortable roommate life

Living in a Kuopas shared apartment is a combination of community and cooperation. Embrace the experience, follow the rules and get to know your roommates to get the most out of your shared apartment. And remember, if you ever need help or have questions, our customer service is just a contact away.

We’ve developed a CLEANING LIST for our tenants living in a shared apartment, which allows you to share your cleaning shifts between roommates.’

You can also create your own rules using this RULE TEMPLATE. Print out the paper and hang it on the wall as a reminder of the rules you have agreed together.

We’d love to hear stories or tips on co-housing! Comment or send us a message on Instagram or Facebook and share your experiences. Together, let’s create a pleasant place for everyone to live!