What does flatshare mean?
A flatshare is a British term for a living arrangement in which two or more people who are not part of the same family occupy a single flat, each having a private bedroom while sharing the kitchen, living room, and bathroom. Rent, bills, and household responsibilities are divided between the occupants, who are known as flatmates. The word refers both to the arrangement itself and, informally, to the flat being shared — as when a listing advertises 'a room available in a friendly flatshare.' Flatsharing is especially associated with young adults, students, and newcomers to expensive cities such as London, where it offers an affordable route into otherwise unattainable neighbourhoods. Beyond economics, the flatshare carries strong social connotations: it is often portrayed as a formative experience of early adulthood, complete with its own comedies and frictions. In North America, the closest equivalents involve roommates or house shares, making flatshare a distinctly British piece of vocabulary.
nounAn arrangement in which two or more unrelated people live together in a flat (apartment), sharing the rent and common areas such as the kitchen and bathroom; also, by extension, the flat itself that is shared in this way.
- A living arrangement in which unrelated people share a rented flat, splitting rent and communal spaces.
- The flat itself that is occupied on this shared basis.
"After moving to London for work, she found a flatshare in Camden with three other young professionals."
"He advertised his spare room as a flatshare to help cover the rising cost of rent."
"Finding a decent flatshare in the city centre took her nearly two months."
Regular plural; used when referring to multiple shared flats or arrangements.
"The website lists hundreds of flatshares across the capital."
Born from Britain's postwar housing squeeze, 'flatshare' turned a practical compromise into a cultural institution — and a rite of passage for millions of twenty-somethings.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of flatshare
Flatshare is a straightforward compound of 'flat' (British English for a set of rooms forming a residence, itself shortened from 'flat' in the older sense of a floor of a building) and 'share' (from Old English 'scearu', meaning a division or portion). It emerged in twentieth-century Britain as urban rents rose and single young professionals increasingly banded together to split housing costs. Its close cousin is the slightly older 'house share', and both gave rise to the companion term 'flatmate'.
Related word forms
How flatshare is actually used
Flatshare is chiefly British English; American speakers would typically say they are looking for an apartment with roommates or a shared apartment. The word is neutral to informal in register and is common in property listings and everyday conversation among younger adults.
Easily confused with flatshare
A house share is the same arrangement in a whole house rather than a flat, though 'flatshare' is sometimes used loosely for both.