Comments on: How to Draft a Roommate Agreement

on 3/22/2007 Make sure to get a copy of your lease agreement!! I have a story worth writing a book about, but in brief...I was amended onto a lease, or at least I paid to be. Then a new management co took over and said I was never a tenant. Bottom line, my roommate never intended to add me, rather used me to pay the rent and told me to leave so that her family could move in a year later. It got very complicated, but this space is too small to detail it.

on 8/8/2006 One person should be in charge of keeping a monthly record, but this must be open to everyone. Write down all expenses, the split, and when paid. Write down important chores, if assigned, when done, by whom. Keep copies of all shared bills with this record.
This is also a good spot for anyone to write down minor problems, so they can be discussed later, and the resolution - if not resolved, that should also be noted.

on 8/8/2006 A minimal background check is vital, and that doesn't mean you know someone who knows this person. Go online to Intuit or other reputable background researchers. Get a credit report. We're in the "crazy years" (re: the writings of Robert Heinlein) and something terrible can happen - and will happen to someone. Don't let it be you.

on 8/8/2006 If you are going to be roommates for a long time, possibly years, have an attorney look over your agreement and make recommendations. This will turn out to be either barely worth the money, or priceless. It will never be worthless.

on 8/8/2006 What if someone dies? Is ill and disabled for a long time? What if ex-spouses or someone starts stalking? What if someone loses their job? What if the house burns down? While all of these are unlikely, they do happen to someone somewhere. It never hurts to talk ahead of time, and if it's a minor concern for anyone, put it in writing.

on 8/8/2006 If you share a computer, make rules. Even if everyone has their own computer, you may at least need rules for Internet access, from dial-up access tying up the phone line/or separate phone lines, to porn/or no porn, or other issues important to one or the other. How do you use your computer? How do you expect your roommate(s) to use theirs?

on 8/8/2006 Get a copy of any state or local laws for everyone to read. While these are often not binding between roommates, it is still good background information and may help spark useful discussions.

on 8/8/2006 Everyone should include at least one and preferably more emergency contacts - a relative, religious leader, job, doctor, best friend, insurance agent.

on 11/22/2005 Make a chore chart. That way no one is technically stuck with all the work. Male roommates tend to have low standards, so it might be hard to get them to do the chores they've agreed to do. Talk about this stuff right before or after you move in. Any agreement made in the beginning will back you up, if you have to confront someone later on.