Finding Flatmates
Deciding who you are going to live with for at least a year, if not more, can be a bit daunting, but don’t worry! The most important thing is to take time to think about the type of people you want to live with. Do you want people who are constantly social and going out or people who are laid back and chilled? Another thing to think about is how many people you want to live with. Edinburgh has a variety of flats and houses ranging from 1 bed to 5/6 beds.
The best place to start is usually with your current flatmates (if you have them) or your course mates, friends from societies or sports clubs, or through MATES! Don't be afraid to ask, everyone's in the same boat!
If you are struggling to find a flatmate, or just want to live with new people, the Union operates a Find a Flatmate Edinburgh page on Facebook. There are also pages designed for finding flatmates such as Spareroom and Christian Flatshare depending on what you’re looking for.
Posting on Facebook groups that you’re looking for a flatmate is also a good way of finding flatmates (Heriot Watt Overheard, the Meadows share are all examples of possible Facebook groups!)
You can also choose to live on your own! Plenty of people at university choose to live on their own and still have an amazing university experience!
Do be careful though – if something sounds too good to be true on these sites, it probably is! Don’t be afraid to report these posts to the site moderators.
Make sure you understand the rules around Houses of Multiple Occupation before you decide who you want to live with!
Connect Connect Connect (Society and Sports clubs)
One of the many amazing things about Heriot-Watt University is the number of societies and sports teams we have to offer our students! From Rugby to Brewing Society and Tennis, these clubs and societies allow students across all year groups to connect and build friendships. A major advantage of this actually comes when you are looking for flats. As later year students are typically moving out of their flats, they will sometimes offer students in younger years to view their apartment and put in a word with the landlord/letting agency that they have people interested in the flat. This can take some of the pressure off going to tons of viewings. So, don’t be shy and use your connections!