How do you find a good roommate? Well, the most important thing is to find a roommate with good chemistry – one you can trust and one you get along with, so the experience of being roommates is a pleasant one. Often, people who are roommates become good friends! However, there are some important rules you should consider when searching for a roommate:
- Be honest to yourself: don’t get a roommate unless you have really thought about the consequences. Once you have signed the contract with your roommate, you can’t just throw the roommate out.
- Be honest to your prospective roommate: make sure your are very honest and specific in explaining the house-rules to your prospective roommate. Who pays for what and when, is loud music and partying allowed, who does the dishes, etc. Make sure you and your roommate have agreed on these basic house-rules before you sign anything.
- Make sure to make a written contract: get everything in writing (rent, payment date, utility bills, house rules, etc.).
- Be open-minded: have faith in other peoples judgment and be open-minded when you search for a roommate – and when you live with your new roommate too! Accept other peoples differences and you will get along much easier with other people.
- Trust your instinct and judgment: Only you can judge whether or not you have good chemistry with your new roommate. To avoid signing a long-term rental contract that you can’t get out of again, you can for instance agree to an initial trial where you and your new roommate share the apartment on a trial basis – for instance 2-3 months. Afterwards, you can cancel the trial contract and go your separate ways. However, please remember that most roommates are honest and kind people!
Still interested in getting a new roommate? Great – search for a roommate here (it’s free!)
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