Quote Originally Posted by Shaun
That's a good idea - for most people. I just really feel I need to know somebody before I do something like that. Moving into a flat with some random person I don't know at all is not something I would be very comfortable with.
As someone who has known someone before moving in with them, I can tell you now that unless you're in a relationship with them, you knowing them will mean nothing once you start flatting together. It's a big mistake that I made and I can't think of many friends that I would ever let flat with me ever again because of it.

But no, don't just get some random person. Flatmates should interview each other to get an idea of what things are like.

I think you're trying to get out of the frying pan and into Heaven or something. It doesn't work like that. If you want something better, accept the fact that you may actually not find something perfect. Accept the fact that you may not even get along with your flatmate a lot of the time. But so long as you respect each other you should be okay. But you will have to make sacrifices to suit them just as they will to suit you, and this is all part of growing up and living in the real world.

They might insult you from time to time. You'll fight once in a while. But if your family is really so bad that a person with knowledge on what the real world is actually like would not live with them, then a flatmate will be better. Nothing close to perfect, but a step in the right direction. And you should find it much better in comparison with your family.

But if you think that getting a flatmate that you hardly know will be no better than living in your current arrangement then you may as well continue living in your current arrangement until you are happy that you have a job which is definitely secure and will definitely provide you with MORE than the money you feel will be required to pay off all your potential bills.

Summary: If it's really that bad at home, then you shouldn't be worrying about living with a random stranger in a flat. If you are worried about that, then maybe your family isn't as bad as you say they are.