Spoilt for choice on the topic of flat-share flatmate search

The start of semester is usually the most difficult time to find a room in a student city – Würzburg is no exception. Even during the semester and outside lecture periods, demand is generally high. Two Würzburg students, Charlotte and Marion, have reported on their experiences searching for the right flatmate and shown what it can look like from the perspective of those seeking flatmates. 

Sprachrohr: How did you search for flatmates?

Marion: "We posted our advert on WG Gesucht, but we also advertised our search in email distribution lists and WhatsApp groups."

Sprachrohr: How many applicants did you have each time?

Charlotte: "Always different. Last time we removed our advert from WG Gesucht after ten people. Of six people we invited, two cancelled and four came to the viewing. We took Friday afternoon and the whole of Saturday for the flat viewings." 

Sprachrohr: How and when did you consult with each other?

Marion: "After each person we talked about what we thought of them and made the final decision only at the end, after we had met all the interested parties. It's difficult to assess a person after such a short time. We always listened to our gut feeling." 

Sprachrohr: Your three-person flat used to be mixed but now consists only of women. Was gender important to you? 

Charlotte: "Two men used to live in the flat, but after they gradually moved out, I wanted to have a women-only flat. Since then the constellation hasn't changed. We also had male applicants in the last search, but we wanted to remain women only."

Sprachrohr: Did age play a decisive role?

Marion: "We wanted people our age, but they didn't have to be students. But it works better because you have a similar lifestyle and similar topics to discuss. A former flatmate worked late shifts and often at weekends. You only ever shook hands and that was a shame."

Sprachrohr: Did you have an "embarrassment of riches" when making the decision?

Charlotte: "We didn't have disagreements, but rather uncertainty about who might fit best. In the last search we ended up with two applicants to choose from, both of whom we could imagine living with. We did it by calling one of them first, but since she couldn't be reached, we waited for a while. After a bit we called the second one and again no one answered. Since we couldn't reach either of them straight away, we gave the go-ahead to the first one who got back to us."

Sprachrohr: Did you find the whole process stressful?

Marion: "It varied. It definitely requires good scheduling and communication between the flat and the applicants."

Sprachrohr: Do you have tips for flats and flat-seekers?

Marion: "For the flat I would recommend that you think about questions in advance and discuss what is important to you. Write that in the advert too, if possible. Try to stand out in your advert by mentioning, for example, that it's important to you to be a Christian flat or a hippie flat. Describe your lifestyle so it's clearer for the applicant. Ultimately you make it easier for both sides, especially in the stressful rush of applications. Honesty counts!"

Charlotte: "It's also important that you as a flat don't take too long making your decision and let the applicants know as quickly as possible. As an appeal to applicants: Say no straight away if you know you don't want the room. It makes things easier for the flat during their decision-making phase." 

Vera Danzeisen