Plan Ahead To Avoid Roommate Nightmares - Kansas City Roommates

Let’s face it, no one is perfect. This becomes ever so evident when we choose to live with another person. Whether it’s a soul mate or a roommate, there are always good days and bad when you share an abode with another.

No matter how hard you or they try, there will be times when problems arise. Little habits like your propensity to drop wet towels on the bathroom floor can turn an otherwise unassuming roommate into Frankenstein. Or, maybe it’s their habit of drinking milk straight from the carton that drives you over the edge. Either way, what you do before you decide to room can save a lot of trouble down the road, turning what could be a horror story into, if not a fairy tale, at least a living arrangement both you and your roomie are happy with.

Before you sign a lease, or even start shopping around for a place, sit down and go over the pros and cons of having a roommate first. Decide if this is truly a route you’d like to embark on because once you’re in, it’s hard to get out without dealing with broken leases and unnecessary financial burdens.

To help you decide, here are a few of the major pros and cons involved in rooming:

Pros

• Someone to help with the bills. This is almost always a great thing. Oftentimes a person who can’t afford luxury accommodations or even close on their own, can obtain great quarters when the bills are split down the middle. Even a meager paycheck can go a long way when two people are footing the bill!
• Shared responsibility. It’s a little overwhelming to deal with everything that goes into running a household – apartment or home. There’s bill paying, shopping, cleaning and even more to contend with, so sometimes it’s nice to have a person to help carry the load.
• Simply having another person around. There’s nothing more frightening than contending with that “bump in the dark” when you’re home alone. (Admit it guys, this means you, too!) With a roommate, there’s always someone else there or soon-to-be there to ease the loneliness and midnight fears that sometimes come with solo living

Cons

• Chalk up the “always someone there” for this column, too! Sometimes it can be a real hassle to share living quarters with another person. Privacy can be a commodity or seem like it, and well, you’d better forget walking around the house in your underwear.
• When you split bills this means the other person must hold up their end of the bargain. Sometimes this can create an uncomfortable situation as money is divvied up for the monthly load.
• Too much information syndrome. Even if it’s your best friend, there are some things you just don’t want to know or share. When you live with someone, it’s pretty easy for their problems to affect you regardless of how hard you try to avoid them.
• It’s not a question of if, it’s when on the dispute front. Whether you’re living with an angel or not, spats will happen. Be prepared for occasional bad days and use a little common sense here. Compromise is generally the best way to handle problems. If you’re not willing to budge, ever, then a roommate might not be for you.
• Now, if you’ve weighed the pros and cons and are ready to move ahead with a rooming arrangement, there are plenty of things you can do to make the situation a good one for both you and your rental partner.
• Here are some general guidelines for things to discuss in advance of a lease:

Make Sure You’re Compatible

There’s nothing worse than moving in and then finding out your habits are completely incompatible. It worked for Monica and Rachel, but your life isn’t scripted, so ask yourself and your potential roommate these questions:

• How do you feel about pets? Kids? Boyfriend/girlfriend overnight stays?
• Do you need a night owl or an early bird for a roommate?
• Do you smoke? If not, can you tolerate it if your roommate does?
• Are you willing to room with someone of the opposite sex? Even if you move in with your same-sex best friend, this could always become a possibility even if for a short while, so consider it.

Figure Out The Bills

Money is a sticky subject for most married couples, so imagine dealing with a total stranger. This is the stuff nightmares are made of it you don’t act in advance!

• Make sure the names of all adults who live in a rental appear on the lease. Many leasing agents won’t even allow another adult to stay for more than a few days without their name being listed on the lease anyway, but make sure the joint responsibility is clear. This covers you, your roommate and even the landlord from issues that can, but likely won’t, arise.
• Figure out who will be responsible for the utilities. For example, who is going to open up the electric