Shared flats in Ben Arous

In the governorate of Ben Arous, sharing a flat is first and foremost about the commute. The people who share a two- or three-bedroom flat work in an industrial zone in the southern suburbs, study in Radès or Borj Cédria, or take the train or the light rail into Tunis every morning. They have all done the same sum: a studio near a station costs almost as much as a two-bedroom flat, so it might as well be shared.

Visible supply stays modest, because many flatshares are set up between friends or colleagues before they are even advertised. Listings on Houni come from current tenants looking for a flatmate and from owners who let room by room; you contact them directly. The number of offers varies from week to week, with a peak at the start of the academic year.

Choosing the delegation by your commute

Radès is the most student-oriented town in the governorate, around the ISET and the station; the shared flats in Radès are mostly in the old centre and in Radès Méliane. Ben Arous town suits young employees of the industrial zone and those who travel into Tunis by metro; flatsharing in Ben Arous is concentrated near the stations. Mégrine, the closest to the capital, draws people who work in central Tunis but want a gentler rent, and the rooms in shared flats in Mégrine are often near the suburban rail line.

El Mourouj offers large flats in residential complexes, well served by the metro, but flatsharing is less common there: it is a town of families, and some owners hesitate to let to several young people. On the coast, Hammam Lif, Ezzahra and Hammam Chatt host a few flatshares of Borj Cédria students and young professionals, with one catch in summer: some of the flats switch to holiday lets.

What a room in a shared flat costs

The rent per person depends less on the delegation than on the size and condition of the flat. In an older two-bedroom flat without a lift, a room often goes for between 250 and 400 DT, bills extra; in a recent complex with parking and a fitted kitchen, the share frequently exceeds that ceiling. Rooms are not always equal: the one with the balcony or a private shower room costs a little more, and it is better to say so before moving in.

Bills are the other part of the budget. Electricity, water, gas, internet, building charges: draw up the list with your flatmates and decide who pays what, and when. A winter STEG bill with electric heaters can come as a shock. Think about furnishings too: an unfurnished flat means buying a fridge, a washing machine and bedding together, then dividing them up when someone leaves. A furnished flat costs a little more each month, but it makes life much simpler for a flatshare whose members are likely to change from one year to the next.

The calendar: a tight start of the year, a calmer spring

Demand peaks between late August and mid-October, when students settle in and new hires look for a roof. The good rooms go within a few days. A second wave comes in February, with the second semester and internships. From March to June, supply is calmer and rents are easier to negotiate, which favours those whose arrival date is flexible.

The lease, the deposit and a flatmate leaving

The question that comes up most is the lease. If it is in one flatmate's name, that person is the one the owner will pursue for unpaid rent; if it is in everyone's name, each stays bound until the end. Either way, have the contract registered and write down how the rent and the deposit, usually one or two months, are split.

Also plan for one of you leaving: who finds the replacement, who gets their share of the deposit back, and how quickly. These details prevent most arguments. If a shared flat does not suit you, shared accommodation in the governorate includes rooms in family homes and house floors, and flats for rent in Ben Arous let you compare with a place of your own.