Maintaining a Good Relationship With Your Roommates

Your Lease:

• Remember that all of your roommates need to be listed on the lease.

• People who are not listed in the lease should not be living in your rental space.

• You cannot add or change the people who are living with your without consulting your landlord. Any changes MUST be added to the lease agreement.

Conduct of Roommates:

• You CAN be evicted because your roommate violates the lease agreement.

Rent Responsibilities:

• Each roommate is responsible for his or her share of the rent for the space.

• You will be able to maintain a good relationship with your roommate if you pay your part of the rent on time.

Utilities Responsibilities:

• There will usually be one name on the utility bill. This person is responsible for making sure the bill is paid on time.

• Make sure you and your roommates divide the cost of the utilities evenly. The individual listed on the bill should be responsible for collecting each share of the money. If he or she doesn’t, it will result in a bad credit score, late fees, etc.

• "Account Rotations” are illegal. Account rotation is defined as failing to pay a bill in one individual’s name and then switching the bill into another roommate’s name and so on.

Roommate Problems:

• You cannot personally evict a roommate.

• You must contact your landlord and explain why he or she should not live in the space any longer.

• If you being threatened, harassed, or harmed by one of your roommates, you can seek legal action against him or her or file for a protection order with your local court.

Paying Rent:

• If you have one roommate paying the rent for the entire space, be sure he or she gets a receipt and shares it with everyone.

• Be sure this person is responsible.

Hamline Students Suggest:

• Split the utility bill with your roommates evenly.

• Be sure each roommate understands what he or she is responsible for paying each month.

• Treat your roommates with the same respect you would if living in a Hamline dorm.

• Make an agreement with your roommates that no one will have friends over in the late night or early morning hours unless everyone agrees.

• Remember that sound travels in an apartment.

• If you borrow something, be sure to return it in the same condition in which you found it.

• Beware of rooming with best friends. Problems surrounding the paying of bills, sharing of belongings, and spending most of each day together have the potential to end great friendships.

• If your roommate violates a “NO PETS” clause in your lease, be sure that there is an understanding that he or she will be responsible for the consequences.

• It can be difficult to keep your groceries separate from your roommates’ groceries. By separating your refrigerator and cabinets, it will be easy to be sure each roommate is responsible for his/her groceries.

• Before having a social gathering or inviting any guests to the property, be sure each roommate has agreed. If anyone objects, it would be best to respect the wishes of that individual.

• If one roommate is responsible for hosting a social gather in the space, he or she should be responsible for replacing anything that becomes damaged and to clean the space to restore it to its “pre-party” condition.