When you decided to look at two bedroom apartments, the original plan was to use one bedroom as a home office. Once you moved in, you decided that your bedroom was large enough to place a small desk in the corner and create a reasonable work space. That leaves the spare bedroom serving no real purpose. It would be nice to have a roommate to share expenses, but how do you go about finding the right person? As you begin to interview candidates, here are four important aspects of the arrangement you must address.
Verify Income
You need to ensure that whomever is chosen as your roommate can afford to pay a fair share of the rent and utilities. How much that fair share happens to be is completely up to you. Some people split everything down the middle while others choose to charge roommates a fixed amount per month.
In either case, verify the income of the potential roommate. This can be done by asking to see a recent paycheck stub. You can also contact the employer and verify that the applicant does indeed work there. Keep in mind the employer will not verify income verbally. You will need to submit a document signed by the applicant authorizing the employer to release that information.
Check References
Personal references are helpful and should followed up with when you think an applicant would make a great roommate. The goal is to find out what you can about the temperament and general attitude of the person seeking to share your space. If you find that others think the person is easy going, responsible, and in general someone you can depend to keep his or her word, that applicant could be the perfect choice.
Going Over the House Rules
Assuming everything is great up to this point, it’s time to go over the house rules. These are not rules that apply only to your roommate. They also apply to you. Draft a set of basic rules that include things like both of you working together to keep the common areas tidy, taking turns cleaning the bathroom, and who gets how much room in the refrigerator and kitchen cabinets. As long as both of you agree to those rules, living together will be a more pleasant experience.
Find Out What the Potential Roomate Expects
You have expectations of a roommate and should state them clearly. There must also be time for the applicant to also voice expectations. Little things like not playing music too loudly or determining how the situation will be handled if one person wants to have overnight company is important. Assuming the two of you can live with what the other expects, the arrangement has a good chance of working.
Many people share two-bedroom tigardvilleapts apartment rentals for years and find the living arrangement ideal. Take your time finding the right roommate and don’t hesitate to ask a lot of questions before making a decision. Doing so could mean coming home to a pleasant environment and maybe even making a new friend.
