It's always good to start out the relationship with your new roommate with open and clear communication. Have an apartment meeting and start with rules and expectations. Go over each other’s schedules (include week days and weekends). Decide what the procedure will be when one person has a problem that needs to be resolved. Discuss any relationships that might interfere with the living situation. PLUS talk about any pet peeves you might have or bad habits that you have, better to get them out in the open now!
In order to clearly communicate your habits, needs, and everything that you would like from your new roommate, you need to know yourself first. Do you tend to be a neat freak? Do you like to do your laundry at night? Are you against having house parties? Start writing a list of your schedule and things that would annoy you if your roommate were to do them. Then, when you first meet, you're able to articulate properly what the rules and expectations are.
Also, do you have any weird quirks? Think that you're a perfect roommate? Check out this list of common roommate habits to see if it can help you realize your quirks:
See? We all do at least one thing that can annoy somebody else without us even know we're doing it.
This is where the Golden Rule comes to play -- treat your roommate like you would want to be treated. Don’t borrow something without asking first. If you accidently break something, apologize and replace it. Don’t eat somebody else’s food. Be respectful when inviting your guests over. These are all basics to being courteous to your roommate.
Discussing finances is important. Can everybody under the roof afford their part of rent? What happens if one roommate loses their job? Do you have a savings or backup plan? How will the bills be handled? What do each of you consider a high PG&E bill? Being honest and straightforward about money will always help you have a positive living situation.
A great way to avoid future conflict is to keep the common areas clean. This means the bathroom, living room, dining room, and garage (if you have one). By keeping these areas clean, you're not only showing respect to your roommate, you're respecting the space that you share. A clean area helps relieve stress and promotes an uncluttered mind. Plus, your apartment will always be ready to have guests over.
*Please note that it doesn’t matter if you just recently met your new roommate, or have been best friends with them since childhood, it’s still good to implement these tips. Living with somebody is an intimate situation and you'll learn a lot about each other.
Do you have a roommate but don’t know where you're going to live yet? Check out our Chico and Redding apartments. We have beautiful apartment complexes that you and your roommate will be sure to love. From amazing amenities, to a professional management and maintenance staff - when you rent at a Hignell Rentals property you will be well taken care of!
Don't forget to talk about Renter's Insurance as part of your expenses! It's always a good idea to have your apartment covered in case of something happening.