Singles: What Do You Find Are the Biggest Challenges to Living Independently?

[Lynx]

And now of course my music nerd brain cues up:

He didn't like her apartment
So he knocked her flat

 

[Lanolin]

oh ok it makes sense, I think they are called 'Flats' here or flatmates because you share a floor (a flat?) living space.

 

[Lanolin]

I guess if people arent used to sharing or living communally, it becomes a battle, so independence is better. I think everyone needs some kind of room or space of their own, even married people. Jesus had one, it was the prayer closet.

 

[stilllearning]

As The Indian Girl pointed out, we don't use the term "flatmate" because over here we don't call apartments or living spaces flats, as they do in some countries.

"Roommate" seems to make sense because even if you don't share a personal room, you still share common rooms in the house -- the living room, the kitchen, the laundry room, etc.

Or, as The Indian Girl also pointed out, we also use the term "housemates."

Yeah I have to agree English allows for room to be more than just singular allows that is can also be used plural. Such as a advertised home may say 5 bedroom 2 bathroom house. So yeah since it can be used plural my guess it has been done so. To solve my curiosity I looked up the two words.

Merriam-Webster gives the following meaning: one of two or more persons sharing the same room or living quarters, which it also reports that the first use of the word was 1770 https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roommate#h1

Merriam-Webster gives the following meaning for flatmate: one of two or more persons sharing the same flat, reported to be first used in 1955 https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flatmate

 

[Lanolin]

do you call it 'going rooming' then as we call it 'going flatting' to indicate that someone is moving into a flat?

A flat could be a shared house, or a shared apartment, but most people dont actually share apartments. Apartments are mostly inahabitated by single people alone or couples as they are so tiny that there isnt really room to even share, while most homes are shared.

we had a housing shortage in the city but now the laws have changed a bit to allow more housing to be built, mostly cheap houses that will fall apart in a couple of years, ugly apartment blocks, and future slums...

thry arent even affrorfable really because they are privately owned and the landlords always charge market value. And the demand is high.

However people need living space rather than live in the garage or 4 to a room. Lots of backyards are being filled in by townhouses. However this is putting a huge strain on services like roads, sewerage and stormwater, as the old infrastructure wasnt designed to cope.

 

[Lanolin]

If you wanted social housing ( and yes there are some homes owned by christians avilable for rent, eg YMCA, church ministries and retirement villages) you may be on a loooong waiting list for one.

However, lots of homes being sold because people break up, sad fact of life for some. Or people die. Or they 'downsize'

Or you could board with others...which is a bit more secure than flatting if you get along. Flatting is a bit more communal than boarding, which could include meals. I think a lot of people see that living arrnagement as only temporary though, the ideal is to own your own home, free and clear so nobody can ever chuck you out.

 

[Lanolin]

I do think its weird that some marriages the husbands name is the only name on the property title, so the wife if. anything ever happens, is left with nothing, even though she may have worked hard to contribute, if not earning, at least keeping house.