The shared-house move-in checklist
A good first week prevents months of searching old messages. Agree the basics once and keep them somewhere everyone can find.
Fact-checked 9 September 2026Get the essentials together
Record the Wi-Fi details, utility contacts, emergency numbers, meter locations, parking rules and instructions for heating and appliances.
Agree how the home runs
Decide how shared supplies, cleaning, bins and other recurring responsibilities will work. A rota attached to rooms survives changes in residents better than one tied to names.
Choose one route for problems
Agree where maintenance issues are reported, what details are useful and how progress will be shared. Urgent safety issues should always follow the emergency route provided by the landlord or agent.
Set communication expectations
Separate important property notices from everyday chat. Agree what needs a notification, what can wait and how swaps or absences are handled.