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Roommate Checklist
A Roommate Agreement is a written document that lists the rules that you and your roommate establish. Having a formal agreement might not seem necessary when you first decide to share an apartment with someone, especially if you see your new roommate as a friend. Still, many potential problems can be avoided if you spend time in the beginning discussing various issues and expectations and agreeing on certain boundaries. Having the agreement in written form helps if you need to refer back to it, especially when differences arise.
The following items should be included in your agreement: Rent and Other Costs: How will the security deposit and rent be divided? (Such as, each paying 50% or paying the percentage based on square footage usage) How will utilities be paid? Will food be purchased for shared use, and, if so, how will the costs be divided? Who is responsible for shopping? Will household supplies (paper products, cleaning supplies, etc.) be shared, and, if so, how will the cost be divided? Who is responsible for shopping? How will big-ticket purchases be handled, such as kitchen appliances or lawn care equipment? If the cost is shared, what happens if you decide to go your separate ways? What happens if the roommate is occasionally unable to pay his/her share on time? Private Spaces: Who gets which bedroom, and are bedrooms considered private? Are there other rooms that are considered private? Are there guidelines regarding private spaces, such as not going inside unless invited and never if the roommate is away from home? Are there guidelines on cleaning private rooms? Common Areas : Which rooms are considered "common areas", meaning they will be shared equally? How will common areas be furnished? For example, will each roommate be responsible for furnishing his/her seating in the living room? Will furniture be purchased together? Are there guidelines regarding decorating the apartment? For example, private areas can be painted without consulting roommate, but painting common areas requires consensus. How will shared items, such as the television and CD player, be obtained? Are there any guidelines for the use and/or maintenance of such items? If a bathroom is to be shared, are there guidelines of how this will occur with the least amount of inconvenience? When and how will common rooms be cleaned? Visitors : Is there a limit on the number of guests each roommate can have? Is there a restriction on the time that visitors are allowed? Can one roommate host a party at the house? Are overnight guests allowed? How long can an overnight guest stay, and how will costs related to the guest’s stay be handled? Pets : Are you agreeable to having a dog or cat in the apartment? Are you agreeable to having a snake, lizard, guinea pig, hamster, bird or other kind of pet in the apartment? Are there any guidelines for the care of the pet? Noise : What is an acceptable noise level? Should there be a "quiet time" established when noise should be kept at a minimal (e.g. 10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m. on weekdays and midnight – 9:00 a.m. on weekends)? Other Considerations : Who should be called in the event either of you faces an emergency situation? Is there medical condition that the roommate should be aware of? How will you and your roommate ensure productive communication between you? How will disagreements with each other be handled? How will each roommate’s privacy be respected? Are there guidelines on sharing confidential information with others? Who will be given a key to your apartment (e.g., parents, girl/boyfriends, platonic friends, no one)? How will you handle telephone messages and mail? Are you willing to share clothing, music, dishes and other items? If so, are there guidelines that must be followed? Who will contact the landlord if there is a problem? How will the non-reporting roommate be informed of the problem and resolution?

Roommate Checklist

A Roommate Agreement is a written document that lists the rules that you and your roommate establish. Having a formal agreement might not seem necessary when you first decide to share an apartment with someone, especially if you see your new roommate as a friend. Still, many potential problems can be avoided if you spend time in the beginning discussing various issues and expectations and agreeing on certain boundaries. Having the agreement in written form helps if you need to refer back to it, especially when differences arise.

The following items should be included in your agreement:

Rent and Other Costs:

How will the security deposit and rent be divided? (Such as, each paying 50% or paying the percentage based on square footage usage)
How will utilities be paid?
Will food be purchased for shared use, and, if so, how will the costs be divided? Who is responsible for shopping?
Will household supplies (paper products, cleaning supplies, etc.) be shared, and, if so, how will the cost be divided? Who is responsible for shopping?
How will big-ticket purchases be handled, such as kitchen appliances or lawn care equipment? If the cost is shared, what happens if you decide to go your separate ways?
What happens if the roommate is occasionally unable to pay his/her share on time?

Private Spaces:

Who gets which bedroom, and are bedrooms considered private?
Are there other rooms that are considered private?
Are there guidelines regarding private spaces, such as not going inside unless invited and never if the roommate is away from home?
Are there guidelines on cleaning private rooms?

Common Areas :

Which rooms are considered "common areas", meaning they will be shared equally?
How will common areas be furnished? For example, will each roommate be responsible for furnishing his/her seating in the living room? Will furniture be purchased together?
Are there guidelines regarding decorating the apartment? For example, private areas can be painted without consulting roommate, but painting common areas requires consensus.
How will shared items, such as the television and CD player, be obtained? Are there any guidelines for the use and/or maintenance of such items?
If a bathroom is to be shared, are there guidelines of how this will occur with the least amount of inconvenience?
When and how will common rooms be cleaned?

Visitors :

Is there a limit on the number of guests each roommate can have?
Is there a restriction on the time that visitors are allowed?
Can one roommate host a party at the house?
Are overnight guests allowed?
How long can an overnight guest stay, and how will costs related to the guest’s stay be handled?

Pets :

Are you agreeable to having a dog or cat in the apartment?
Are you agreeable to having a snake, lizard, guinea pig, hamster, bird or other kind of pet in the apartment?
Are there any guidelines for the care of the pet?

Noise :

What is an acceptable noise level?
Should there be a "quiet time" established when noise should be kept at a minimal (e.g. 10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m. on weekdays and midnight – 9:00 a.m. on weekends)?

Other Considerations :

Who should be called in the event either of you faces an emergency situation? Is there medical condition that the roommate should be aware of?
How will you and your roommate ensure productive communication between you? How will disagreements with each other be handled?
How will each roommate’s privacy be respected? Are there guidelines on sharing confidential information with others?
Who will be given a key to your apartment (e.g., parents, girl/boyfriends, platonic friends, no one)?
How will you handle telephone messages and mail?
Are you willing to share clothing, music, dishes and other items? If so, are there guidelines that must be followed?
Who will contact the landlord if there is a problem? How will the non-reporting roommate be informed of the problem and resolution?

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