How to Create a Roommate Contract

Living with someone, whether you know them or not, can be a tricky dance. Everyone acts differently in their personal space, and sometimes this can cause conflicts within friendships or between roommates. Are you getting ready to sign a lease with a roommate in Louisville, KY, and you want to make sure that your relationship remains amicable throughout the terms of the lease? Our Louisville movers suggest drawing up a roommate contract before your next move.

What is the Benefit of a Roommate Contract?

When you've decided to live with someone, communication is vital. Making all expectations clear at the very beginning can save all parties involved a lot of frustration. Discuss how the household duties will be divided, and establish a protocol for an unexpected event like a broken pipe or an emergency such as a kitchen fire. A roommate contract can help you keep the peace in your home by helping you avoid the common issues that can cause conflict. Our Louisville local movers list some important items that you should include in a roommate contract to ensure a peaceful lease term.

What to List in a Roommate Contract

Rent Payment Procedure

Establish a payment plan and schedule as well as how the rent will be delivered to the landlord. Is the rent going to be split equally? If, for any reason, you decide not to split the rent evenly, make sure that all parties agree and that it's written in the agreement. Figure out how the landlord prefers to receive the rent payment every month. It could be as simple as a drop-box in the building. You might have to deliver it by mail if the landlord doesn't live close by, or possibly pay via an online payment system.

Utility Payment Distribution

Roommates generally split all the utilities evenly to make it easier every month, though some roommates calculate utility payments depending on various factors. At times roommates even agree to each pay specific utilities if their bills amount to more or less the same cost. No matter how you and your roommates decide to handle the utilities, this should be notated in the roommate contract.

Division of Household Chores

Though each household member takes care of their own bedroom, there are common areas you all share - the kitchen, the living room, the bathroom(s), and sometimes there are outdoor areas. Are you going to take turns cleaning these common areas? Or will you each be responsible for specific rooms? Will you rotate your responsibilities every month or quarter? Document the division of the household chores in your roommate contract.

Visiting Hours

One of the biggest things about sharing a space with someone that you might not have been friends with before is how you each handle visitors. Talk to your roommates to assess how they feel about visitors at certain times or specific days of the week, as well as the possibility of overnight stays. Since you're sharing the space, be courteous when your roommate invites guests over.

Quiet Hours

Piggybacking off the concept of visitors, be sure to bring up the question of quiet hours, especially if you are in school or if your schedules are the opposite.

Bedroom Allocation

Make sure that you and your new roommate in Louisville, KY, talk about the division of space before moving in. Houses and apartments usually don't have rooms that are all equal in size. One of the rooms may be more desirable than the other. The room could be larger, or there may be a larger closet, a better view, or one of them might have a private bathroom. Disparities like these can likely be a point of contention. Depending on the difference between the spaces or amenities, perhaps the roommate who gets the more attractive room pays more in rent, relinquishes the prime parking, or even agrees to do a larger share of the household chores. The same applies to outside spaces like parking spots, the backyard, garage, or other storage.

Groceries, Fridge and Cabinet Spaces

Buying food is another tricky part of rooming with someone, so it's a very important point to add to your roommate's contract. Talk with your roommate about the possibility of splitting groceries or individually buying groceries. Perhaps you can do groceries individually but go dutch on the items all the roommates will use, such as condiments or non-consumable products like aluminum foil, plastic wrap, and Ziplock bags. There's no reason to have four bottles of ketchup in the fridge. This way, you won't come home to an empty egg carton when you were expecting to have some in the fridge.

Early Lease Termination Possibility

Though a lease is usually for a year, there are always unforeseen circumstances that arise. Before you find yourself in this tricky predicament, be prepared by devising a plan of action if one of you needs to move out before the lease term is over. Will one of you be able to incur the complete cost of the rent? Can the unit be sublet? Make sure these are noted in the roommate contract as well.

If you need extra pointers when you draw up a roommate contract, we've got your back. Once your agreement is finalized, contact the residential Louisville movers of All My Sons Moving & Storage to take care of the heavy lifting and all your other relocation needs.

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