Most people think moving in together is about splitting the rent. While some people just don't like to live alone, for most people, the primary reason for living with roommates is that it eases the financial burden.
If you have a roommate or two to split the rent with, your cost of living will be lower but
unfortunately, deciding who gets the larger bedroom isn't your only worry. You may be happy in the beginning but in a few months you will find out that your roomies habits are too much to bare.
It is best to make a list of what each persons responsibilities are before the move is finalized to avoid future issues. Of course everything should be agreed to be in writing as a courtesy and a friendly reminder. I will hate to see you move in just to find out your roomies a slob and you are too embarrassed to have your friends over and worse you don't know how to fix it!
Ground Rules Before Moving Together
Everyone moving together must have some ground rules to prevent total shock later. If you like quiet in the morning and your roomy likes to blast the music with their morning shower there will be a huge problem.- Private food sharing.
- Cleaning responsibilities.
- Utilities.
- Yard work
- Parking rules.
- Music/TV volume
- Entertaining rules
How To Determine Who Gets The Largest Bedroom?
- Who makes the most money.
- Who uses the larger bedroom.
- Who won the coin toss.
- Who name is the lease in.
FYI: You might want a person to pay a larger percentage of the water bill if they wash their car every other day or pay more energy bill if they are proned to leave every light in the house on around the clock.
Have It In Writing!
However you decide to split the rent, you should put it in writing. Draw up a [Roommate Agreement] between you and your roommates, including a clause that clearly indicates how the rent is to be divided.Using a written roommate agreement (such as LawDepot's Roommate Agreement) will make it easier to settle any disputes that may arise between roommates. It will also allow you to clarify other issues that may cause tension between roommates, such as allowing guests to spend the night, or whether or not smoking will be allowed inside the property.
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