How to Survive in a Shared Accommodation?

 There are some milestones in our lives that we need to use a temporary accommodation such as hostels, bedspace or living a residential house and we co-living with other people who have different backgrounds than us in other words a complete stranger.

As for the reasons and milestones, we use temporary accommodation to help us get by in the area as a tourist and on a budget, students stays in a dormitory or school flats near to their school while working professionals who are starting with their jobs have to choose a cheaper alternative through bedspace.

As much as we want, we want our total privacy and can do what we want on the accommodation that we are trying to stay but that is not always the case because we have to comply with certain rules for us to get the harmonious stay with the other tenants and be safe and also we can adjust.

In these shared accommodations, we need to to compromise otherwise it would cause a misunderstandings and conflicts to the tenants. Your stay in a shared accommodation would be a living hell.

The common issues that a tenant experience when living a shared accommodation are the following and how do we do it differently to survive?

1. Shut off your mentality that "Customers are always right."

In every accommodation we may try to check in check in such as Hotels, Luxury Condos, Commercialized Hostels or in any private accommodation we always expect that we will be always receiving exceptional service and there is this accommodation staff that will respond at your every demands and whims but in a budgeted hostel, hotels, dormitories and bedspaces this kind of exceptional service sometimes doesn't happened because there are limited resources or personnel available.

Shutting your mentality as "Customers are always right" doesn't mean to downgrade your boundaries or tolerating bad service however what we trying to say is to learn to the side of things from their end and what is the current situation they are in before you even complain and rant. Reflect what you would do if you are in their place and how will you deal with demands that is sometimes unrealistic.

Let me give you a story based from my personal experience.

There was this Canadian lady who checked in on the bedspace that I am in. She was informed that there are some hours that the water supply on the second floor bathroom is not available and that happens most of the days so she was advised that if she needed water, she needs to use bathroom downstairs. She stayed at Bedspace for a few days and one night, she complains that there is no water. True that there was no water running on the faucet but there is plenty of water that she can still used from the basin then she make a harsh statement to the Bedspace host that if there is no water, you shouldn't make this kind of business. 

Me and the host were shocked at her statement. Well true that her statement have a point but what she doesn't understand is that area has a poor water supply and this not something like a broken faucet to be fix and there we have already water supply but area's water supply is monitored and controlled by Maynilad (one of the Philippines' water company). No matter how many times she complains and demands for the water supply to return for as long as Maynilad doesn't sort it at midnight or no permission from them, the  issues of water supply will not be settled. This is why you use what is available and be understanding of the situation first before you say unpleasant to someone. 

The accommodation owner already knows that some of the items will be unavailable or limited but the owner needs to continue the business despite of shortages. For example the host takes the statement of that Canadian lady, do you think it is easy to get a new job? Its a "No" so do not make those statements if you are not aware with the deep situation.

Another situation is there was this gay who expressed his interest of checking in the bedspace and he will come at 11:30 at the venue and he also requested to cook lunch for him at 1pm. The host replied and gave him the address. 

When 1pm came, we never heard from him then so we thought that he will not come however at 2pm, that's the time I heard the host was talking to the person and it seems that the gay was angry because he was trying to call her but no response and he complained that he was tired for searching the address he was provided and say that they don't know the location when he asked.

Then host received threatening message from him after that telling the host that the customer is right. True that the customer is right but as a potential guest/tenant you shouldn't yell and threatened the host because you are only asking permission to let you stay in and the host has the right to accept you or not in the accommodation. In the bedspace that I am currently staying in, we encountered lots of difficult guests and tenants. We experience those people who are war freak and those who stole things from some of the guests, this is why I requested the host not to accept this potential gay guest to the Bedspace because he might disrupt the harmony in the accommodation and might get into trouble with the other occupants. When you are going to a shared accommodation be humble enough and be mindful with the people around and not always doing your own way.

2. Dealing with the issues with the property owner in terms of the rules and payments

Before we even start staying in the accommodation, you have this mini orientation with the owner or the host to inform you about the rules of the house and its conditions. We really need to pay attention to this to prevent any hassles and misunderstandings and ask questions if there is any need for clarification. An example of this would be the use of available resources at the accommodation such as water, disposing of bins, number of hours allowed when you are having a visitor, are drinking and smoking allowed.

When it comes to dealing with payments especially if you are into long term stay and on contract please ensure that you are ready to commit and abide with the rules found on contract until the end.

A lot of mistake happened in some guests/tenants that they avail that 1 month or 3 months or more stays in the accommodation but after a day or two they change their mind and expect that their money to be refunded.

This behavior is not good because it is bad for the business and you have to be understanding enough that the owner or the host of the accommodation have bills to pay for the accommodation on a monthly basis or with other arrangements and simply asking for refund in full or in large percentage is not okay.

It would be a good practice that before you commit to the property you have to visit it and see how the environment is from the area, facilities or people around so you can make adjustments. You can also try to avail a 1 or 2 nights stay and see if you are comfortable with it. If yes, then you may commit to 1 week or month or more stays but if not then you may leave and find a better accommodation for you.

Another issue when it comes to payment is, some tenants may informed the owner that they are out of town for 2 weeks but then their due date falls on that 2 weeks of their absence.

It would be a best practice if you take the intiative to make rent payments in advance and ask for receipt before you go out of town, or other option could be make online payment at exact due date or if it is going to pass the due date gave a definite date of payment so the owner wouldn't feel uncertain and left into thinking when are you going to return and make payments.

Most accommodations have their own rules when it comes to payments and they kick out tenants who don't pay or not paying on time without informing them what was going on with your situation. 

If you are owning a small accommodation business, you can feel that struggle and you may not tolerate those tenants who do such bad behaviors.

As a guests or long term tenants, it is your responsibility to pay on time and inform the owner your situation, if there is any changes. Don't make excuses and play victim that you are not informed because it was informed to you the conditions before the owner allowed you to stay.

If you feel that your due date is near find a way to pay it. Have your money set for that from salary or other sources of income or allowances.

3. Lack of resources for example no extension, faulty appliances like Electric fan or Aircon.

In a shared accommodation, there are instances that there are only lacking or limited number of resources however some guests are using two or more items for example plugs instead of 1 per person. Remember, you are not in a Commercialized hostel, Private room or Studio type of accommodation, luxury condos and hotels but you are in a shared accommodation and you shared with other tenants and guests. You need to leave some for other guests or take turns. 

If you encounter faulty appliances, doors, toilet flush and furniture you immediately report it to the owner so they can quickly fixed it or use an alternative material available if those items takes time to fix and becomes available.

Learn to declutter and tidy on a shared accommodation. Some tenants bring lots of belongings to the accommodation but they are unaware that some tenants complain about the lack of place that they can place their belongings which is unfair for them because they are also paying the rent same as you plus if you bring items like rice cooker, small electric kettle, iron and other items that consume electricity, you need to inform the owner so they in turn will give you the proper fees of using electricity especially if that is not included in your rent fee.

Then finally when you check out or your contract ends be responsible to pay all the expenses that was incur and make everything cleared and clean. The owner/hosts presented the accommodation clean and pleasing to everyone.