Shared living
Many students choose to live in a shared flat. Shared living is a great option to renting a studio, since it is often a lot more affordable and you might get new friends in the process.
There are different sorts of contracts for shared living situations. These contracts carry different legal meanings, considering for example the responsibilities of the tenants. It can also have an impact on the housing allowance granted by Kela. For these reasons it is important to take a moment to learn the differences between contract solutions.
| Common contract | Separate contracts | Subtenancy | |
| Responsibility of the rental payments | Common responsibility | Everyone is responsible for only their own share | The principal tenant is responsible to the landlord and the subtenant(s) to the principal tenant. |
| Responsibility of upkeep of the apartment | Common responsibility | Everyone’s responsible for their own area, common responsibility of the common area(s) | Principal tenant is responsible of the whole apartment, subtenants for theis own and common areas |
| The security deposit | Common deposit | Separate deposits | Principal tenant pays to the landlord, subtenant to the principal tenant (or depending on the contract) |
| Denouncing the contract | Entirely, needs each tenant’s agreement. For only one tenant only if it is alright for the other tenants and the landlord. | Each one individually, no agreement from other tenants needed | When the principal tenant’s contract ends, so does the subtenant’s |
| Transferring the rental right | Only with the agreement of the other tenants and the landlord | With the landlord’s agreement | Principal tenant with the agreement of the landlord, subtenant with the agreement of the principal tenant |
It’s always wise to have a home insurance
No matter the selected type of contract, the tenant should always get a home insurance in case of different accidents, even if the rental contract doesn’t demand having an insurance. In a shared living situation each tenant has to have their own insurances, since the insurances only cover damages to the policy holder’s property.