One flatmate or five? How to find your ideal number

The number of people you live with changes everything: the vibe, the cost, the noise level, and how long you wait for the bathroom. There is no universal right answer, but here is how to think about it.

Living with one other person. This is the most intimate setup. You will know each other's routines inside out. When it works, it is brilliant: quiet, tidy, and easy to coordinate. When it does not work, there is nowhere to hide. Every annoyance is amplified because there is no buffer.

Living with two or three people. Often considered the sweet spot. You get a social atmosphere without the chaos. Bathrooms are usually manageable, the kitchen stays reasonably clean, and bills split three or four ways are significantly cheaper than splitting two ways. There is enough variety that you are not reliant on one person for company.

Living with four or more people. Cheaper rent, bigger social circle, always someone around. But also: bathroom queues, fridge Tetris, louder evenings, and more potential for clashes. It works best when everyone is on the same page about noise, cleanliness, and guests.

Maria's story: Camberwell, 5 girls, 1 bathroom. "I lived in Camberwell with four other girls. The house was always lively and we had some great nights in. But there was only one bathroom between five of us. Mornings were a nightmare; you had to set an alarm an hour earlier than you actually needed just to guarantee a shower. The fridge was always rammed, someone's milk was always going missing, and cleaning the kitchen was a full-time job. I loved the girls but I would never do five people with one bathroom again."

Fiona's story: Kilburn to Mayfair. "I lived with one other girl in Kilburn and it was amazing. We had similar schedules, similar tidiness levels, and we became proper friends. Then I moved in with another friend in Mayfair (just the two of us again) and it was awful. We had completely different standards for cleaning, different ideas about guests, and we ended up barely speaking by month four. With two people, it is either fantastic or awful. There is no in between."

How to decide what is right for you. Ask yourself: How much alone time do I need? How sensitive am I to noise? How important is a short bathroom wait? How social do I want my home to feel? How tight is my budget? The answers will point you in the right direction. And remember: a great flatmate setup with three people beats a bad one with one person every time. The people matter more than the number. Whatever size you choose, Casamates scales with you, whether it is two of you splitting one bill or five people juggling chores, shopping, and a packed calendar.