Single parents shack up to save

The next time you advertise a room for rent, you may find yourself sharing quarters with a mum or a dad and a couple of children in tow.

As travel, rental or mortgage costs become more unmanageable single parents are increasingly seeking out share accommodation to help them cope.

Now with over 1600 members, single parent accommodation and childcare website Space4 was started by single mum Sophie Andrews in 2007 to help others in similar circumstances.

“I separated from my husband six years ago, and when we separated…I couldn’t afford to stay where I was. Purely by chance a friend of mine with a daughter the same age separated the same week, so we ended up house sharing together for 18 months,” said Ms Andrews.

“It was just such a huge benefit for me, having someone there who understood what I was going through. And so I just wanted to create something that would give others that opportunity.”

Parramatta resident Kim Dennis and her 12 and 13-year-old sons are looking to move into Sydney’s inner west with another single-parent family. Ms Dennis, a media professional, says she needs to live closer to work but can’t afford inner city rental prices.

Having unsuccessfully lived in share accommodation before, she sees the advantage of renting with similar-minded people. “We used to live in Bondi with two flat mates and it just didn’t work. They didn’t understand the kid thing,” she said.

After experiencing life as a single mum, Summer Hill resident Vee Malnar said share accommodation would be ideal to ease the rental burden, as well as other household responsibilities.

“Alone, you do all the meals yourself and shopping, and if you can share not only good company, but also being able to share the household things that you have to do…you really are setting up a family, in a way, with a friend,” said the childcare worker.

She said the economic downturn was forcing people to try new options: “I think people are trying it because times are tough, financially. Rent in Sydney is just amazing high and it’s just getting worse.”