Living with a roommate is the ultimate life hack for renters. Not only will you save money by splitting rent and other living expenses, but you’ll also have someone to keep you company when at home. However, finding and living with a roommate isn’t always easy, and if you aren’t careful, your roommate experience can easily turn sour.
Knowing how to vet a roommate and set expectations early is crucial to maintaining a healthy living situation. Below, we’ve provided some insight into how to successfully rent with a roommate and create a harmonious living environment.
In this article, we’ll help you navigate the ins and outs of renting an apartment with a roommate by answering the following questions:
- How do I find a roommate?
- What ground rules should be set before moving in with a roommate?
- What are effective ways to search for an apartment with a roommate?
- How do I apply for an apartment with a roommate?
Finding the Right Roommate
The first step in renting with a roommate is, of course, finding one. Though it may seem simple, finding a roommate who is compatible with your lifestyle and living habits can be challenging. Even if you consider yourself to be low-maintenance and easygoing, there's still a chance that you and your potential roommate may not see eye to eye on certain things.
Below are some tips for vetting potential living candidates and locking in your perfect roommate match.
Determine your compatibility
It doesn’t matter if you’re a neat freak or a bit on the messier side. All that matters is that your roommate-to-be is on the same page as you. Before agreeing to live with someone, make sure you are compatible in terms of living habits. Consider cleanliness, sleeping habits, social life, etc. Discussing these lifestyle factors upfront will reveal whether you’d make a good roommate match and help you avoid any potential conflicts down the road.
Conduct interviews
Interviewing a potential roommate may sound intimidating, but it’s crucial for the vetting process. This interview can be as formal or as informal as you’d like. Whether it be over dinner or just a casual phone call, interviewing in any form will give you a sense of a person’s personality and lifestyle. Make sure to ask questions about their daily routines, work schedules, and hobbies. Doing so will help you determine if they’re a good match for your living situation.
Check references and background
Checking a candidate’s references and conducting a background check will help you determine whether they are a good fit for you. Though your landlord or property manager will check this when you eventually sign a lease, it’s always good to do your own research beforehand. However, it’s also important to respect your potential roommate’s privacy. Ask your future roomie if you can reach out to their previous landlords or roommates to get a sense of their character and living habits. In doing so, make sure to maintain transparency and respect for their personal boundaries. You can also conduct a simple online background check to make sure there are no red flags.
Setting Ground Rules before Move-In
Regardless of whether you’re living with your best friend or a complete stranger, it’s always important to establish some ground rules with one another. Whether it be setting quiet hours in the apartment or splitting rent and utilities in a specific way, setting expectations before move-in will ensure you are both on the same page.
Setting a budget
Budgeting is a huge part of renting with a roommate and splitting living expenses. In some cases, you might split everything down the middle. While in others, you might have one roommate take care of groceries while the other takes care of utilities. There’s no right or wrong answer on how to divide expenses, but it’s essential to establish this before moving in together. Otherwise, you might find yourself with a roommate who pays late or not at all, causing tension and strain in the living situation.
Establishing household etiquette
Household etiquette is another huge component of apartment ground rules. This could include things like taking turns doing dishes, cleaning common areas, and respecting each other’s personal space. It could also pertain to rules for having guests over or turning off the television after a certain hour. Outlining parameters for these types of things will help you establish etiquette expectations and limit misunderstandings.
Keeping open communication
Being a good roommate coincides with being a good communicator. If you cannot be open and honest with your roommate, issues or misunderstandings are more likely to arise. Try to have regular check-ins with your roommate to address issues like finance and household responsibilities. In doing so, remember to be respectful and empathetic to your roommate. Even if you’re frustrated and feel like lashing out, try your best to maintain composure and create a positive, open space for communication.
Navigating an Apartment Search with a Roommate
Your rental journey doesn’t end once you find a roommate. In fact, it’s just beginning! Your next step will be grabbing your roomie and searching for apartments. Before doing so, make sure to set expectations with your roommate when it comes to must-haves, lease lengths, etc. This will help streamline the search process and ensure you're both on the same page when finding your dream apartment.
Below are some tips for navigating an apartment search with a roommate:
Leasing options to explore
Renting with a roommate comes with several leasing options to consider. One of these options is joint leasing, where you and your roommate enter a co-tenancy agreement. This means you will both be responsible for maintaining the home and paying utilities and rent. Though this tends to be the more affordable option, it comes with a cost. In joint lease agreements, both tenants will be held responsible for late payments, property damage, or any other related issue, regardless of whether it was only one person’s fault.
Your other option is an individual leasing agreement. Individual leases are by-the-bedroom leases, meaning you are only responsible for your own room and bathroom. That way if your roommate damages their own space or breaks their lease early, you won’t be held accountable. However, this option is typically harder to come by than a joint lease, as it’s primarily used in student housing situations.
Determining your must-haves
Before starting your search, you and your roommate should compare apartment must-haves. Maybe you’re a pet owner who needs pet-friendly amenities, or perhaps you’re a student looking for communal study spaces. Whatever your preferences, make sure you discuss your wants with your roommate. That way, you’ll both have a clear idea of what each other wants in an apartment.
Using online resources
Finding an apartment with a roommate is all about utilizing your resources – specifically, online platforms like Apartments.com. With our comprehensive suite of Renter Tools, you can easily filter your search for things like price, location, pet policies, and more. You can also save and share listings with your roommate to get their input and make the process easier. Plus, with our personalized search alerts, you and your roommate can be the first to know when a new apartment that fits your criteria becomes available.
Applying for an Apartment Together
Once you and your roomie have settled on an apartment, your next step will be to fill out an application. Though this may seem daunting, applying for an apartment can be very straightforward with the right tools and resources.
To aid your application process, check out these tips for applying for an apartment with a roommate:
Gathering essential documents
Apartment applications require various documents, including proof of income, rental history, employment history, etc. Before submitting an application, make sure you and your roommate each have your respective documentation ready. If something is missing, it could delay the application process or cause your application to be denied altogether.
Review the lease terms together
Once you’ve been approved for an apartment, you and your roommate should sit down and thoroughly review your lease terms. From rental rates and lease lengths to pet policies and maintenance expectations, review every last detail and make sure you both understand the agreement. This will prevent any potential miscommunications between you and your roommate, as well as with your landlord or property manager.
Handling rejections
Despite all of your preparation, there’s a chance you and your roommate’s application could be rejected. If this happens, don’t stress! Rejections happen for various reasons, and it doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t find another great apartment. Just make sure to ask your potential landlord or property manager what the reason was for the rejection so you can address any issues before applying again. Then, you can discuss how to rectify your application with your roommate to increase your chances of being approved in the future.
Whether you’re renting with a friend or a complete stranger, finding and living with a roommate requires effort and communication from both parties. But by following these tips and utilizing resources like Apartments.com, you can successfully navigate the process and create a happy living situation for everyone involved. Good luck and happy roomie hunting!
This article was originally published on July 15, 2020, by Jamie Kenan.
