Re: Roommate Agreement - Landlord Forum thread 192281

Re: Roommate Agreement by Susan on November 27, 2009 @23:33

I know, I know. Unfortunately, my SIL is in dire financial straits, or this would not be happening. I'm just trying to protect her interest from something she refuses to be talked out of. Yes, the girl is paying half of the gas & electric, however, they will be the only two living in the house. My SIL still pays for cable, telephone, H2O etc. As far as sharing the living space, the girl has been told that SIL has a furnished rec room in the basement if she wishes to entertain. Also, they have separate bathrooms ( SIL has a master bath.) There are no pets involved, and this girl comes from another area about 40 minutes away, so she doesn't have any friends or family in the area. Also she doesn't smoke. I'm hoping this does not bite her in the A$$, but only time will tell. I've warned her also that she needs to get a lock for her bedroom door......she hadn't even thought of it. I think I may have scared her into reality a little bit, I can only hope so. I've been looking at some agreements on the internet, so I may be doing a little cutting & pasting. John from the LPA, if you are listening, in the current economic climate ,I can foresee this becoming more common. Maybe we can see a rental agreement for people who wish to rent out rooms, or for apartment-sharing folks. It seems the term "landlord" may have a broader meaning than it has had in the past. If I come up with something worth sharing I will shoot you off an e-mail, and you may decide to use it.

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Re: Roommate Agreement by Va Landlady (VA) on November 28, 2009 @11:00	[ Reply ]

I have roommates all the time, and while I've never drafted up a formal agreement I would make a couple suggestions: I would estimate how much the girl's half of the utilities is likely to be, and then charge her a flat fee for rent. It is absolutely maddening trying to chase roomies down for the bills they owe. Just have her pay ONE amount. And of course, photograph or scan the girl's driver's license just in case.

Re: Roommate Agreement by Anonymous on November 28, 2009 @11:15

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Try to figure out what the law is about giving notice to vacate. Such an arrangement might come under boarding house laws instead of monthly apartment rental laws.

Don't do an annual lease. If roommate turns out to be a PITA, your SIL doesn't want to be stuck with her for a year.

Consider requiring the roommate putting either gas or electric in her name. Then each month or two, they balance who owes whom for the difference in the two bills. That protects both of them by each of them being directly responsible for a bill and able to look at each bill to be sure the utility is actually being paid. Consider requiring that the bills must be paid on time each month.

Write in an agreement on the temperature (when someone is home, when no one is home, and at night. Be aware that one bedroom may be colder than another. Agree on whether or not a space heater can be used.

Write up when dishes must be washed (e.g. ok to leave cereal bowl and coffee cup in sink until return from work?? All dishes must be washed and put away or in the dishwasher before going to bed).

Write up noise agreement. Ear phones solve a lot of problems if someone is into blasting heavy metal. maybe agree to specified quiet hours. Include hours for appliances (e.g. we don't do laundry after 9pm. it reverberates though the house).

lock up precious things. If she'll be upset its broken, don't leave it out. Agree on whether or not things left out in the common area permanently can be used by the other (e.g. books on a bookcase).

And..most of all.. don't let the little things get you down!!