Choosing Housemates
Questions to consider
There is a big difference between being friends and being housemates. Whether you’re thinking of living with old friends or new acquaintances, working through these questions can help you discern whether you will be compatible as a household.
Budget
How much rent can you afford to pay? How will you split the rent if the rooms are not equal?
Transportation
Do you walk, bike, ride the bus, or drive to campus? Do you need to be close to a bus stop? Are you hoping to carpool?
Sharing space
Are you willing to share a bedroom or bathroom? Would you prefer to live with people of the same gender or in a mixed-gender household?
Noise
Do you need peace and quiet to study? Do they?
Cleanliness
Will their habits conflict with yours?
Schedules
When will you be home? When will they?
Responsibility
Can you rely on them to pay their portion of the rent and utilities every month?
Compatibility
How well do you know them? Who are their closest friends or significant other? Who else will be spending time in your home? Perhaps the potential roommate comes as a package deal.
Joining an existing household
Not everyone searches for housing as part of a group. If you are looking for a household to join, a good place to start is by searching for student sublets on Places4Students. Once you find a potential household to join, you may be excited – but it’s still important to take the time to get your questions answered before committing.
If you will be a new addition to an existing household, be sure to:
- Meet all of the housemates before making a decision to move in.
- Spend time with the whole household; perhaps share a meal with them.
- Ask questions. It’s OK to bring a list with you; remember you are also interviewing them.
- Take notes and go over them later when you can think more objectively.
- Listen to your instincts.
Financial and rental agreement questions
- How much would your portion of the rent be?
- How is rent divided?
- Does the landlord know they are moving in a new tenant? Make sure the answer is yes!
- What type of rental agreement do they have?
- Is there a principal tenant and if so, who?
- How will your security deposit be handled?
- Do you pay rent to the landlord or principal tenant?
- How are utility bills divided?
- Who signed the rental agreement with the landlord and will you be signing the rental agreement?
- Do they use a Housemate Agreement? If not, are they willing to use one?
Lifestyle and household questions
- How long have they lived together and how did they meet? How did they find themselves with a vacancy?
- What are their schedules like?
- What are their preferences around food, cleanliness, noise, smoking, and alcohol use?
- How often do they have visitors – overnight guests, group meetings, friends, and relatives?
- What do they do for fun?
- What are the house rules, and how are household decisions made?
- How are chores divided?
- How do they pay for shared items?
- Is cooking done collectively or independently?
- How do they resolve conflicts?