Living with flatmates can be one of the most exciting, fun, and also mildly stressful parts of young adulthood. Whether you’re sharing a student house in Leeds, a converted flat in East London, or a two-bed rental in Manchester, the challenges are often the same: shared expenses, communication gaps, cleaning rotas, and the occasional “who used all the milk again?” situation.
In 2025, though, things are starting to shift. Thanks to technology, many of the frictions that used to define shared living are being ironed out—not by major platforms, but by everyday apps that slot quietly into our lives. Flatmates across the UK are using tech not just to split costs, but to maintain harmony, reduce awkwardness, and protect friendships.
Here’s how it’s happening.
The Everyday Stress of Sharing a Home
Let’s be honest—splitting expenses is rarely as simple as it sounds.
You do the weekly grocery run and suddenly feel like the house accountant. Someone forgets to pay their share of the broadband. You and your flatmate ordered a Deliveroo, but now you’re stuck working out who owes what for the shared chips.
These things might seem minor, but over time, they can cause quiet tension. And when nobody wants to sound “petty” by bringing them up, they often go unspoken… until they don’t.
That’s where lightweight, user-friendly tech tools have stepped in to make a real difference.
Enter: Everyday Apps Built for Shared Living
Shared living in 2025 is smoother for one reason—there are apps designed to take care of the details. Tools that aren’t just functional, but socially smart. They reduce the emotional labour of being the “responsible one” in the house, and let flatmates co-exist with a little less pressure.
One of the most helpful types? Bill splitting apps.
Spotlight on Nom Nom: The Bill Splitting App That Just Works
Nom Nom is a UK-friendly app that makes splitting restaurant bills, grocery receipts, and other shared expenses incredibly simple.
Here’s how it works:
- You snap a photo of the paper receipt (like your Sainsbury’s grocery bill or pub dinner).
- The app reads and digitizes each item.
- Each flatmate selects what they ordered or bought.
- Nom Nom automatically splits the bill, including tips or delivery fees.
- You can share a link so your flatmates can pay their part—even if they haven’t downloaded the app.
It’s a cleaner, friendlier alternative to awkward reminders or long explanations in the house group chat. Everything is itemized and fair—and it only takes a few taps.
Nom Nom’s appeal is that it’s minimal and focused. It doesn’t try to be everything. It just does one task—splitting shared costs—and does it really well.
More Tools Flatmates Are Turning To
It’s not just about bills. UK flatmates are also turning to small tools for:
- Shared calendars (Google Calendar, Cozi) to track cleaning days, bin schedules, or bill due dates
- Grocery list apps (like OurGroceries or AnyList) to coordinate shopping
- Voice assistant reminders (via Alexa or Google Home) for chores or rent reminders
- WhatsApp broadcast lists to send reminders without sparking a chaotic group chat
These apps don’t replace communication—they support it. They help ensure nobody feels like the household manager or unpaid admin assistant.
Why This Matters in 2025
With rent prices climbing and more people choosing shared housing well into their 30s, flatmate life isn’t just a uni phase anymore—it’s reality for millions of working professionals too.
And unlike before, shared homes today aren’t just about surviving—they’re about finding ways to make living together easier and more equitable. Tech is playing a major role in supporting that.
The best part? You don’t need a smart home or complex systems. Just the right mix of everyday apps that help you manage the things that matter: money, time, space, and effort
Real Peace Comes From Small Systems
Peaceful shared living doesn’t require rules taped to the fridge or long “house meetings.” It’s often about the quiet things: transparency, fairness, and small systems that make everyday tasks easier.
In 2025, UK flatmates are quietly upgrading their home life—not with dramatic changes, but with thoughtful tools like Nom Nom that take the friction out of things we all used to struggle with.
So next time you find yourself squinting at a receipt or wondering who still owes for the takeaway, consider the tech that’s been built for exactly that. Because sometimes, a simple app can save a flatshare—and the friendship that comes with it.
Nom Nom is free to download on Google Play and makes shared expenses quick, fair, and totally hassle-free. If you live with others, it’s one less thing to argue about.
