Would you consider living with someone who has opposing political views to yours? Often you don’t really have much of a choice – flat sharing is on the rise for ‘generation rent’ and for many of us it’s the only option.

If you flatshare, you’ll probably have to live with people with different interests and backgrounds – which could include those with different political beliefs. A recent survey we conducted at SpareRoom found that 37% said they get on with their flatmates but wouldn’t consider them as a friend; whilst 10% said they’re not friends at all.

Disagreements are a big cause of tension in flatshares, and one topic that falls into this pool is having opposing political beliefs. But fear not! We’ve put together this blog post to show you how you can live harmoniously with those who have different political views to you.

Embrace your similarities

Being open minded and embracing other people’s differences is generally the best way to avoid conflict when someone else has very strong opinions. It also shows you’re a mature, thoughtful individual, which is a pretty important life skill. Even in divisive times like these, it can be powerful to remember what we share before we look at what we don’t.

Show respect for their beliefs

Being respectful is such a crucial element of flat sharing (and life!) – without it there would be chaos! Without respect we’d never be able to discuss or reflect on anything of importance – so this means being civil with your housemates, not judging their beliefs, and in turn promoting peace and harmony in the household.

Limit politics talking time

This one’s simple – because the less time you spend talking about politics, the less chance there is for a potential mini-political war to break out. If the topic comes up, try to steer the conversation off track – mentioning something you’ve got in common or upcoming plans together will bring the positive vibes back in no time.

So whether you’re living with someone with totally polar opposite political views to you or you just can’t seem to agree on certain topics for the life of both of you; there are always tactics both parties can adopt in order to coexist harmoniously. (Yay for teamwork!)

Have you ever had to, or do you currently live with someone you have opposing views to? Let us know here via Facebook and Instagram!