How to Find a Responsible Roommate

Finding someone to share your space with will take some time.

Having an irresponsible roommate can ruin your life. Messes, noise while you're sleeping and bad guests might be just the beginning. If he doesn't pay the rent, then financial disaster isn't far behind. There are a number of factors and qualities to look for when trying to pick out a roommate, and if you know what to look for, you'll be able to spot a good one from a mile away.

Instructions

1. Look for and place ads in places with specific readerships that match your lifestyle. Online sites might be a good place to start, but consider looking in local university or small-circulation newspapers. If you're into the local art or music scene, you might find someone with a similar worldview and living habits in the local free weekly.

2. Be open, however, to people with different lifestyles. If you're a neat 22-year old, you might want to consider living with someone who is 30-something professional. If you want someone quiet and you see an ad for someone who doesn't have a TV, he'll probably be a good bet. If you watch a lot of movies this won't work out, but if you just watch documentaries, you'll probably be compatible with each other.

3. Call the person on the phone, and find out more about them. Make sure to interpret all the information you get in terms of how responsible the potential roommate is. Having a job in the first place is key, in addition to the kind of work. A seminary student probably will be a better bet than a DJ. People who have to work hard, like medical students, are also likely to be responsible. Similarly, someone who wakes up early to go for a 5-mile jog probably has more discipline than someone who sleeps in.

4. Meet with the person and don't be afraid to ask lots of questions and to say no if she's not suitable. There are several important things to ask about: when does she sleep, how noisy or clean is she? Does she smoke or drink and how much? Ask about what the expectations are regarding significant other. Will there be boyfriends or girlfriends sleeping over a lot? But beyond these questions, you can probe further. You can ask the person to bring a credit report. It may seem like a lot to ask of someone, but if you want a truly responsible roommate, this will make a great filter, since mostly only those with good credit will reply. Ask for the phone numbers of references from previous roommates or landlords.

5. When you've decided on someone, don't be afraid to arrange important details in advance. Don't go with someone who won't co-sign the lease or be specific about how much he'll pay. Likewise, make sure any significant details about who gets what room, what the decor will be and who will share the chores gets worked out ahead of time. A responsible roommate will happily work with you to make sure everything is clear.

Tips & Warnings

• Think twice before moving in with close friends. Maybe you'll get to be good friends with the person you're living with, but you might ruin your relationship with someone you like a lot by putting up with her habits. That being said, moving in with an acquaintance from work or elsewhere ensures that you have some sense of that person's past and sense of responsibility.

• Be careful when answering any ads from anonymous people at first. Meet in public places to begin with and take the time required to get to know someone.

References

• Roommates4You: Finding a Perfectly Good Roommate