Living in a share house in Australia: what to agree before you move in

A share house — sharing a home with other people — is a popular choice in Australia, especially for newcomers, students, and anyone wanting to save money in the larger cities. But not all forms of shared living are the same in legal terms. Understanding exactly what your status is will save you a lot of trouble later.

Two completely different forms of shared living

1. Co-tenant (leaseholder)

Your name is on the lease (tenancy agreement) signed with the landlord or agent. This means:

You have full tenant rights under state law
You share responsibility for the rent and the condition of the property
Your name can appear on the bond — and the bond is refunded through the official process
If a housemate does not pay their share of the rent, you are still responsible to the landlord for the whole amount

2. Sub-tenant or boarder/lodger

You live with the person who holds the lease (the head tenant) — you do not sign directly with the landlord. This means:

Your rights depend on the state’s sub-tenancy law — usually with less protection
If the head tenant breaches the lease and is evicted, you lose your place too
You do not have the same direct right to complain to the state authority as a co-tenant
The deposit you pay the head tenant is not lodged with the state bond authority — you are relying on personal trust

Which arrangement is better depends on your circumstances, but always know which one you are in before you move in and pay any money.

Where to find a share house

The largest platform in Australia for finding a room in a share house is flatmates.com.au. It lets you filter by price, area, room type (furnished or not), and the characteristics of the household (gender, pets, students or workers).

There are also community Facebook groups for each city — these often carry room listings. However, be more cautious with arrangements made through informal channels.

Discuss things before you move in

Many share-house conflicts come from expectations that were never spelled out. Before you move in — or before you take on a new housemate — agree clearly on:

Finances:

Who pays the rent directly to the agent? (and who do the others pay?)
How are utilities split: electricity, gas, internet? Split evenly or by usage?
Internet: whose name is the contract in? Is the cost split evenly?
Is there a shared fund for common items (toilet paper, dishwashing liquid, and so on)?

Daily living:

Cleaning roster for the shared areas: who does what, and how often?
Food in the fridge: shared, or does each person have their own shelf?
Visitors: are they allowed, and for how long? What about overnight guests?
Hours and noise: music, TV, phone calls late at night?
Pets: does the lease allow them?

You don’t need to draft a detailed agreement for every point — but agreeing verbally and recording it by message is enough to have something to fall back on if there is a disagreement.

The risk of informal arrangements

“Handshake” arrangements — moving in with no paperwork, paying a cash deposit, getting no receipt — put you in a weak position if there is a dispute. With no written evidence, it is very hard to:

Recover your deposit if the person renting to you refuses to return it
Prove you lived there if you are suddenly asked to leave
Complain to the state authority

Even if it is not a formal contract, at the very least have:

Confirmation by message or email of the rent amount, the move-in date, and the deposit
A receipt for every amount you pay

Signing the lease: responsibility and benefit

If you are offered the chance to sign as a co-tenant, weigh it carefully. Alongside the benefit of legal protection, you also take on joint and several liability with the other co-tenants. If one person in the house does not pay the rent, the landlord can pursue any one of the co-tenants for the whole amount.

The bond is also recorded jointly — when the tenancy ends, all co-tenants must agree on how it is refunded. If there is a disagreement, it has to go to the state’s dispute resolution body.