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Quiet, eco-conscious home workers are the UK’s most desirable flatmates

If you can promise to be quiet when you work from home, know how to separate your plastics from your cardboard and have a good sense of humour, then you’re in luck – you’re one of the most desirable flatmates people are looking for.

Considering that 60% prefer to live with a housemate compared to living alone, it’s important to choose a flatmate wisely. In a poll of 1,354 of people looking for a new housemate, those who can dust off the GCSE maths skills to accurately split the bills, someone who can fix things around the house and someone who’s over 32 also came out as the most in demand traits.

People are also keen to ensure the environment they’re living in is LGBT+ friendly as 61% said they’re more inclined to rent somewhere which is.

It comes as Get Living partners with Ideal Flatmate to help matchmake roommates across its neighbourhoods in London and Manchester.

When considering the proximity housemates are living and working together in, it’s no surprise that it was almost unanimous (99%) that people want a housemate to be compatible in terms of working from home. With just 23% of people planning on being back in the office full time this year, people also aren’t willing to give up a cushty commute with 71% saying good transport links are essential and 44% still want to be close to work.

Top 20 characteristics people look for in a flatmate

Someone who is clean and tidy
Someone with a good sense of humour
Someone who is quiet when they work from home
Someone who can accurately split the bills
Someone who recycles properly
Someone who is hardworking
Someone over the age of 32
Someone who is a good cook
Someone who has good taste in TV
Someone who can fix things in the flat
Someone who gets a takeaway and lets you have some
Someone who doesn’t mind house parties
Someone who is disciplined about food
Someone generous with money
Someone who reads
Someone with a dog
Someone with a cat
Someone who likes going to art galleries
Someone who supports the football
Someone with good dress sense

When asked about their wider house hunt and what people look for before renting a new place, a safe neighbourhood (79%) and outdoor space nearby (32%) were amongst the first things people scout out.

Elsewhere in the poll, singer Adele, actors Idris Elba and Tom Holland and singer Ed Sheeran emerged as the celebrities wannabe roomies people most want to share a home with.

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Get Living, the UK’s leading build to rent operator, is launching a more than 800 brand new homes this Spring. The first 289 are being added to its New Maker Yards neighbourhood, conveniently located within walking distance of Manchester and Salford city centres. And in East Village London, new building Portlands Place will deliver 524 apartments across two striking towers connected by a Skybridge amenity space on the 10th floor.

All Get Living homes come fully-furnished, with stylish interior packages, WiFi already set-up and pets live free.

Commenting on the results of the survey, Tom Gatzen, Co-Founder at ideal flatmate said: “When it comes to what people look for in a flatmate, this survey showed that eco-friendly behaviour is becoming more and more important for people, and it’s all about living with someone you can build a friendship with outside the barriers of a standard flatmate relationship.

“It is clear people value social qualities and spending time with people that can make them laugh and bond with over the same taste in TV programmes, all while eating a home-made meal. My advice would be to ensure that you live with people you can see yourself spending time with rather than just passing each other in the corridor.”

Ian Gibbs, Director of Neighbourhoods at Get Living, said: Ian Gibbs, Director of Neighbourhoods at Get Living, said: “The search for the right housemate is just as (if not more) important than the property search itself. We know that the people you share a home with make your living experience what it is, helping create that real sense of belonging and community that Get Living works to foster in its neighbourhoods.

“That’s why we’ve partnered with Ideal Flatmate whose match-making algorithms and in-person networking events can help our residents find their most compatible roommates, and live happily ever after with us… well, for as long as they wish!”

Renting with Get Living means flexible tenancies with no fees and no deposits.*