Shared flats in Madrid.
Are you planning on living in Madrid? At helphousing we aim to help young internationals to find high quality housing solutions and to get settled in the capital of Spain.
Being new to a city can be stressful at the beginning, that's why we want to recommend you one of the best options to live in Madrid if you’re a young international: rent a shared flat.
Madrid is full of foreign students so you won't find it hard to meet new people, but is there a better way of socializing than sharing accomodation with other students that are in the same situation as you? Besides, you never know, your flatmates could become your best friends! Renting a flat to share in Madrid is quite common. It's always nice to share new adventures with new people rather than being alone, don't you think so?
What is a shared flat?
By sharing accommodation you will be living with two or more people in the same flat, but it also means you will have your own space. You will have your own bedroom but you will be sharing other rooms (kitchen, living room…).
Shared flats are becoming more and more popular among students and young workers, not only because it's an affordable way to live when you are outside your country/city, but also because it's the best way to make friends. We know that Madrid is a big city and it can be hard to start searching room for rent, but don't desperate, you will eventually find the best room for you.
The first thing young international students and workers do before their arrival is look for Madrid furnished apartments for rent.
Why sharing a flat in Madrid is the best option for young internationals?
If you plan to share a flat in Madrid and it's your first time living on your own, there's nothing to worry about, you will find nothing but good things! There's a lot of reasons why you should look for shared flats when you move to Madrid. Here are some of them:
- Making new friends: first of all, you will be sharing accommodation with people who are looking for the same things as you, to meet new people.
- Lower costs: a huge advantage of sharing a flat with other people is that the costs will be lower. You won't have to be stressing out about paying the rent and not having money for yourself to enjoy your stay in Madrid.
- Get out of your comfort zone: when you move to a new city where you don't have your family and friends, it's good to have some company and someone to talk to. It's also a good way to get out of your comfort zone and make new plans you never thought you will be doing.
- Location: as the costs will be lower, you can choose from a great variety of locations where you want to live, whether it's on the city centre or close to your university campus.
Madrid will become your home and the people you meet will become your family.
Where to find a shared flat in Madrid?
Looking for a flat in Madrid can seem difficult at first, but it's all about setting your priorities to find the best accommodation. You can choose between different neighbourhoods depending on your preferences.
If you want to live close to the facilities such as public transport, shops and restaurants, the best place to live is the centre of Madrid. We recommend you some of the best neighbourhoods where you can look for available flats for rent in Madrid.
- Sol and Gran Via: this is the heart of Madrid and it is well connected to the shops and restaurants, but be careful because they are loud neighborhoods.
- Malasaña: one of the most popular places to live for young people, as it has everything they are looking for, restaurants, shops, alternative plans to do and a great nightlife.
- La Latina: great place to try tapas and go to the pubs.
- Lavapiés: a very nice place to live. On Sundays you can explore El Rastro, a local craft market.
- Moncloa: here is located the biggest university of Madrid, so you will find a lot of students.
There are other neighborhoods that young internationals don't know about but they are also in the centre: Chamartín, Retiro, Tetuán, Chueca, Arganzuela, Salamanca, Madrid Río and so on.
However, if you are looking for a quiet place to live, the centre is not the best option. It's better if you search a room for rent in the suburbs. It's also a good choice if you want to live close to the university where you are going to study, because most of them are located in the suburbs. Some of them are Aranjuez, Alcalá de Henares, Vicálvaro…
What to keep in mind when renting shared flats in Madrid?
If you’re considering shared flats in Madrid, there's a couple of things you should keep in mind.
- Description of the flat: when you are searching a flat to rent, you have to pay attention to the description of the flat, to see if it has what you need, such as air conditioning, if costs are included or not… these are really important things to check before renting a flat. If you are going to pay for something, make sure it's a good thing.
- Location: as a student we're sure you want to move around the city, so it's better if you live close to well connected public transportation.
- Documentation: make sure to have all the documents they ask you when you're renting a flat (copy of passport, bank statements…)
- Be prepared: you have to keep in mind that you are not the only student seeking a flat for rent in Madrid. Once you find the perfect flat, don’t wait much longer!
How do I protect myself when renting a room in a shared flat?
- Renting a room in a shared flat is an important process and you have to make sure it's safe.
- Everytime you communicate with the landlord about anything important do it by email, not by phone, that way you can back up all the conversations.
- Ask for a signed copy of the contract and keep it until it ends, so the landlord doesn't make any changes without telling you.
- When you enter the flat, take photos of any defect you see and communicate it to the landlord. Communication in this cases is essential.
- The first day you should also make an inventory and sign it with the landlord, to avoid problems at the moment of leaving the flat.
- Another important thing is to ensure that the landlord receives the keys at check-out, so hand them in person or leave them where the landlord tells you.
- Get an insurance that covers you in case of theft to protect your belongings.
- Do not sign anything you don’t understand, and don't hesitate to ask any questions you may have to the landlord.
How to decide who gets the rooms
Once you and your flatmates are in the new flat, the next step is to decide which one gets which room.
- The first option is a simple one: just discuss it. Maybe you all agree and there's no need to do anything else. But this rarely occurs, so let's see other funny and creative ways to decide who gets the rooms.
- The running race: the first person to reach the room, gets it. First think about which room you want.
- Put numbers on a paper: this way you don´t need any running skills, it's down to chance.
- Switching rooms: the last option consists on switching rooms every certain period of time, so no one has the best room all the time leaving someone with the worst one.
This are some original options, but you can think of new funny ideas with your flatmates.
Rules and tips for a peaceful coliving in a shared flat
If you’re going to rent a room in Madrid and you have never shared a flat before, don’t be afraid, there's a lot of reasons why you should do it. But remember you won't be living on your own so you have to know how to act.
We want to give you some tips in order to have a peaceful coliving and to make your stay in Madrid one of the best experiences of your life.
1 Communication
You don't know how people usually act at their own house, so when you share a flat with one or more people, you have to communicate and set some rules so everyone is happy. If there's a problem, talk about it as soon as possible to avoid future tensions.
2 Respect
Be respectful to your flatmates if you want them to be respectful towards you. This is the basis for a great coliving experience. Be tidy, respect people's privacy and always offer your help to others and you will receive the same from them. It's as simple as that.
3 Remain open-minded
Sharing a flat with other people is a great opportunity for you, so take advantage of it and learn from other people's culture while you share yours with them. You all moved in to a new city, so go and explore it together, propose plans to do, talk with the people around you, don´t miss this incredible opportunity!
4 Don't lose contact
Keep in touch with the people you meet. You will be staying in Madrid for a medium or a long term, so you will be spending a lot of time together. The people you meet will become your Spanish family, and it's always nice to know people from all around the world.
“Sharing is caring“