Tips For Choosing Roommates

Rooming together can be a lot easier, if only roommates took time out to learn about the legal rights and responsibilities of sharing a place.

Selecting Roommates

Simply, because you and your friend get along like a house on fire, it does not mean you will enjoy sharing living accommodation with each other. Before, deciding to room together, consider your potential roommate’s personality, along with health and lifestyle habits. As well, his / her budget, the friends he / she hangs out with, and whether pets will be part of the roommate deal, all need to be taken into consideration.

Written Agreement

You may be good friends, but it is always a good idea to have a written agreement with roommates on the following points:

• The split-up and payment of rent, utilities and security deposits.
• House rules regarding pets, including pet security deposits.
• Smoking and Non-Smoking zones.
• Partying hours and drug use, or lack thereof.
• Late hours and noise.
• Whether, overnight guests are allowed or not, and if so how often.
• Whether, food and cooking duties are to be shared or not.
• Cleaning schedules and how responsibilities will be shared.

While, it may not be easy for a roommate to enforce the rules, however a small claims court judge is entitled to impose agreements, as to how rent and utilities are paid.

Dealing with the Landlord
All roommates should sign the rental agreement, which means each of them is individually responsible for paying the entire rent each month. In case, a roommate is introduced after a lease has been signed, then one must take the landlord’s permission for doing so. No doubt, he / she will wish to check out your potential roommate’s credit history, in addition to getting added security and pet deposit.

Then again, your landlord may wish to raise the rent as a reflection of an additional person living in the space, or even ask for a new lease to be signed.

Roommate Lease Violations

Always, remember that any lease violations by a roommate, such as, not paying rent, damaging the rental unit, or else making too much noise, means your landlord will hold everyone renting the unit as accountable for the crime. When a roommate is proving to be too much trouble, it’s time to begin looking for a new one, encouraging the problem one to move out.

However, talk over any roommate imposed damage with your landlord and cooperate on the issue of damage repair, in short, behave like a perfect tenant. With luck, your landlord may not punish you for your roommate’s misbehaviour. And, if you cannot get rid of a bad roommate, make it easy for the landlord to evict him / her.

That apart, landlords should make themselves cognisant with all rules and regulations before drafting tenancy leases or rental agreements. They must also take all necessary precautions, such as, tenant screenings, background checks on prospective tenants, including making certain all rental lease clauses are adhered to, as insurance for a litigation free landlord / tenant relationship. A simple click of the mouse and any landlord or property manager can visit www.e-renter.com for tenant screening and background check services. www.e-renter.com, the best tenant screening agency in America!