For some, roommates are a source of happiness and comfort, and for others they can be a pain in the neck – it all depends on good or bad roommate relations. In order to avoid having – or gulp – becoming a nightmare roommate, these seemingly obvious yet continually violated fundamental codes of conduct must be adhered to.
This should be a no-brainer, but paying rent and utilities not only on time but in full is the most essential key to sharing a living space with someone. Apartment Therapy recommends, rather than attempting to divvy up bills based on who watches more TV or uses more Internet, just splitting utilities straight down the middle. When it comes down to it, everything should even out in the end, more or less – so it’s best to split apartment bills 50/50. As far as rent goes, it should be common knowledge to pay rent when it is due in its entirety. 1st Lake Properties offer residents the convenient option to pay rent online. If there is ever a problem, both the other roommate(s) and landlord/property manager should be notified well in advance.
Paying rent and utilities is the bare minimum of maintaining good roommate relations. Just like parents teach their kids growing up, making sure chores aren’t left undone is pretty crucial to keeping the peace around the house. At the very least, any mess caused – whether it’s dirty dishes or clutter in common spaces – should promptly be cleaned up, but it’s also helpful and considerate to do things like take out the trash, change light bulbs, sweep, mop, and help with areas that benefit everyone.
If anyone ever has a problem, big or small, with their roommate, it’s best to address it from the start so that it doesn’t escalate to an even bigger, recurring issue. Besides communicating problems, just keeping roommates in the loop on anything that might also affect or concern them is good practice. Some people have to work really early or really late, so letting roommates know about guests coming over or any potential disturbance is a nice and important gesture.
There are other subtle behaviors that can make or break a good roommate relationship, that often are discovered through experience, but these three basic tenants will make all the difference.
1st Lake Properties | P. O. Box 73709 | Metairie, LA 70033 | info@1stlake.com
