“Agh! Who ate my leftovers?!”
We hate to say it, but you could be chowing down on that leftover pad Thai if only you had established a roommate agreement! While disappearing leftovers are the first roommate conflict that comes to mind, there are lots of other good reasons to have a roommate contract.
A roommate agreement is up to you and your roommates to lay out some rules to keep everyone happy. Different personalities and people from differing backgrounds have different ways of living, so compromise and establish some base rules to keep your house functional.
Read on to learn five reasons why you should create a rental roommate contract, and get it in writing.
-
Payment of Rent and Utilities
Usually, paying the rent and utilities will fall on all roommates equally. If rent is due on the first day of each month, set a day in the last week of the month to have all of the rent money collected.
Determine whose account is used to pay the landlord and how the rent is divided. If the rooms are not of equal size, decide if the rent will be split equally or prorated based on size and quality of bedroom. The big bedroom with the master bath is worth a little extra than the converted basement closet!
-
Cleaning Schedule
People raised in different households tend to define ‘clean’ differently from one another. Your roommate agreement is a great place to establish rules for cleanliness around the shared spaced. If each of you are responsible for your own dishes, this agreement will ensure every roommate is held accountable.
Who cleans the bathroom and when? A cleaning schedule with the chores equally divided will set ground rules, so that no one can become resentful over the term of the lease. With a roommate agreement contract in place, a sink full of dirty dishes is easier to handle than a sink full of dirty dishes and a roommate who resents you for it.
-
Quiet Hours
One of the biggest issues that arises with roommates is agreed upon quiet time. If you wake up early for work during the week, you’ll need quiet time in the evenings to recharge. Maybe your roommate likes to play music late into the night, so establishing some rules and compromising is essential to a healthy roommate relationship.
-
Sharing Things
Sharing is caring, right? well, not all the time.
Some roommates may feel more entitled to use things that aren’t theirs than others, which will definitely lead to problems. You don’t want to wake up in the morning to find your roommate used the last of your eggs to make themselves a nice morning feast. Lay out some ground rules in your roommate contract to ensure everyone stays happy.
-
Guests and Visitors
You may be comfortable having your significant other spend the night regularly, but it may make your roommates uncomfortable. Roommates should agree on some rules for overnight guests, entertaining friends, and having parties.
Click here for an easy way to collect everyone’s e-signature to make your roommate agreement official!
This Is Why You Need a Nightmare Roommate Contract
A well-thought-out roommate contract will lay out ground rules for all members of the house. It will help avoid those awkward conversations and potential conflicts. While the officialness of a roommate contract may seem cold at first, it will ultimately make your home a happier place to live!
If you liked this article, check out our blog for more like it.
Read More : 9 Helpful Hacks for Finding a Roommate Who Doesn’t Drive You Crazy
