What To Include In A Roommate Agreement Having a roommate in your home or apartment is a lot different from having a roommate at college. That is especially true if you own the home or your name is on the apartment lease. The best way moving forward is to set up a roommate agreement. This is something you should present to any potential candidate before even considering them. If there's anything that they don't agree with, then this probably isn't the best person for you to move in with. Here's what you should include: How The Bills Will Be Paid It is not just splitting the rent that is a consideration with roommate but also all the other bills like electricity, water, cable and Internet. The fairest approach is to split everything right down the middle. With regard to the rent, you need to spell out very clearly when it is due. You shouldn't ever have to be late and mess of things with your landlord. How The Chores Will Be Split Up Obviously, your roommate should clean up after their own mess in the kitchen but there are common areas that need to be tidied up as well. You can set up a schedule for vacuuming, dusting and cleaning the bathroom. This shouldn't leave any room for "interpretation" when it comes to keeping the apartment clean. Personal Space Personal space is important whether you're living with your family or with a roommate. In a roommate agreement, you should define exactly what your idea of personal space means. Again, this is only spelled-out if it is important to you. For instance, if you have a favorite mug that you don't want to share, then that needs to be in the roommate agreement. You might also want to designate space in the kitchen and refrigerator for what they bring in. Rules About Guests Guests are going to be a part of your roommate's life just as much as they will be part of your life. But sometimes those guests staying over can get out of hand when it looks like a new "friend" is taking up permanent residence. You might want to restrict the number of overnight stays in a month. If you need help clearing out the bedroom or storage areas, then you can count on Junk King Dayton. These are professional junk haulers who have been helping homeowners and apartment tenants clear out unwanted clutter for over 10 years. They'll send you a team of movers and a big truck to get the job done. This is all about creating a happy living environment for both you and your new roommate. What To Include In A Roommate Agreement