Speed roommating is a craze that has taken London by storm. In the past 12 months, over 10,000 people have come down to one of our events to find a room or roommate. Now, speed roommating is coming to New York. If you live in a shared appartment, the people you live with are so important. Speed roommating lets you meet lots of potential roommates in one go, and it relaxes the social setting. Making it easier, quicker, and safer to find your perfect room or roommate.
So, how does it work? The BBC came down to one of our London events, which are called speed flatmating in the UK [see *Note* at bottom], to find out.
Sharing a flat is commonplace in London but finding the right person to share your home with can be difficult. There's the trolling through adverts and the [not sure..."has" maybe] for traipsing across the city to meet potential new friends. What if you could find the perfect match in your local bar? Matt Cook has been trying out the latest trend for people renting property.
Could it be live at first sight? It's called speed flatmating. It's the latest way for landlords to meet potential tenants face to face. This time on neutral ground: in a bar, almost like a first date.
I'm looking for cheap as possible. It's obviously quite difficult in London but I've just looked everywhere. I don't really, I'm not fussy at all.
I just thought this would be easier than going around, if not cheaper, than going around and seeing one place, and then it not being any good.
Lots of like minded people coming scared. It's a bit like speeddating.
So we're new to London and we're having a bit of a bad time at the moment. Everywhere [each appartment] goes so quickly.
Each person who has a sticker declaring themselves a landlord or a tenant giving details of their budget or their property.
You can hammer through a lot in such a small space quite quickly and you know they're all gonna be here and you don't have to worry about them not showing up for viewings and that sort of thing. And, it does seem like a good idea...a good fine evening anyway.
Well, there are two of these events at different bars every week at different parts of London. So, they're proving popular, but essentially, everyone here is on a blind date. So just how successful are they at helping people find a room?
You'd go and see a property, especially like a little 2 bed, 3 bed flat when in 5 minutes you're out the door and you've not really got to know the flatmates. Here, you talk to people half an hour, maybe chat to them a bit at the beginning and go a talk to them later.
And it worked for Harriet who moved into her rented room just a week after coming to one of these events.
Going into people's houses is quite intrusive and that's probably a bit more nerve wracking than coming to a bar, I think.
It may not be the end of letting agents quite yet but this new "social way" of finding the perfect property match could give them a run for their money. Matt Cook, BBC London News.
*Note* Renting an appartment could also be called renting a flat
