Getting an apartment for rent with a roommate is one of the best ways of living in a desirable location at a reasonable price. However, it can also be a nightmare if you aren't careful. Avoid the following mistakes if you don't want problems while renting with a roommate:
1. Being the Sole Account Holder
When you rent an apartment, the person whose name is on the account is legally responsible for the terms and conditions detailed in the lease agreement. This is the person who will be held liable for damages or accountable for late fee payments. Therefore, don't make the mistake of renting an apartment in your name and then sharing it with a roommate. What if they leave without notice and leave you with outstanding rent? You won't be able to hold them liable for it if their name wasn't on the lease; in short, have both of your names on the lease.
2. Not Having Your Separate Spaces
Renting a room with a roommate doesn't mean that all of you are free to use all the rooms however they wish and whenever they wish. Ideally, there should be specific spaces reserved specifically for both of you. The obvious rooms that come to mind here are the bedrooms; ideally, each of you should have their own bedrooms where the other one doesn't have a say. However, you may also divide other areas such as storage spaces or parking spaces to avoid future disagreements.
3. Not Having Ground Rules
Even if your roommate seems agreeable and reasonable, you don't know everything they may do in the apartment in the future. Therefore, set clear rules on what you can or cannot do in the apartment. Do you want to plant pot, hold parties or start a home business in the apartment? Talk about these issues to avoid nasty disagreements later on.
4. Not Clearing the Air on Extended Visits
Lastly, you should also be clear on how to deal with extended visits from loved ones and friends. What if your roommate's partner wants to move in with them? What about your cousin who is planning to live in your apartment while attending college in the area? If you don't clarify these issues, then you can end up "living" three people in an apartment even if you had planned to have only one roommate.
Note that you should only have a roommate with the consent of a landlord. In fact, sneaking in a roommate will mean that their name won't be on the lease, which will lead to the issues previously discussed.
