Having Roommate Issues? Here's What You Can Do
Prevent roommate nightmares
Living with a roommate can be a great way to save some cash and split basic household responsibilities. Having a roommate can be fun and cost-effective, especially when you actually like the other person, but it comes with a totally different set of challenges than living with your family or significant other.
Cohabitating with a person you’re not 100% obligated to love or (even like!) means that you won’t always agree on every aspect of sharing a space. If you’re in college, you probably didn’t have a choice in picking who this built-in best friend would be, but you’re still stuck with that person for at least a year.
Different schedules, personalities, hygiene levels and overall lifestyle choices can throw a wrench into even the most perfect roommate pairings. However, putting your expectations for one another in writing can help set some ground rules and prevent roommate nightmares down the road.
Consider a roommate agreement
Your lease might cover what you are both monetarily responsible for, but everything else should be documented too. LegalShield members have access to a Roommate Agreement that will help set some boundaries and preserve your relationship with your roommate.Disagreements are unavoidable, but getting your house rules in writing from the very beginning can ease tension when problems arise. Among the areas the Roommate Agreement covers are:
- Rent obligations
- Splitting utilities
- Use of each other’s belongings
- Use of the apartment
- Visitor policies
- Care and maintenance of the apartment
- Miscellaneous requirements set out by all roommates
Like all of LegalShield's forms, our Roommate Agreement is free to our members.
LegalShield is a trademark of Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. (“LegalShield”). LegalShield provides this blog as a public service and for general information only. The information made available in this blog is meant to provide general information and is not intended to provide legal advice, render an opinion, or provide a recommendation as to a specific matter. The blog post is not a substitute for competent legal counsel from a licensed professional lawyer in the state or province where your legal issues exist, and you should seek legal counsel for your specific legal matter. All information by authors is accepted in good faith. However, LegalShield makes no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness of such information. The materials contained herein are not regularly updated and may not reflect the most current legal information. No person should either act or refrain from acting on the basis of anything contained on this website. Nothing on this blog is meant to, or does, create an attorney-client relationship with any reader or user. An attorney-client relationship may be formed only after the execution of an engagement letter with an attorney and after that attorney has confirmed that no conflicts of interest exist. Nothing on this website, or information contained or transmitted by this website, is intended to be an advertisement or solicitation. Information contained in the blog may be provided by authors who could be a third-party paid contributor. LegalShield provides access to legal services offered by a network of provider law firms to LegalShield members through membership-based participation. LegalShield is not a law firm, and its officers, employees or sales associates do not directly or indirectly provide legal services, representation, or advice.
How To Negotiate a Rent Increase With Your Landlord: 9 Tips
What Does Signing a Lease Mean?
