How to set ground rules with a roommate

Teach: How to set ground rules with a roommate

What to say

Set roommate ground rules in the first week, before anything goes wrong, by sitting down together and agreeing in writing how rent and bills are split and paid, who cleans what and when, how overnight guests work, quiet hours, and what happens if someone wants to move out. A one-page agreement you both sign turns later arguments into a quick look at what you already decided.

What to show, in order

1. Pick a calm time in the first week and put the conversation on the calendar.
2. Agree how rent, utilities and internet are split, who pays each bill and when the others pay back.
3. List shared chores and set a rotation or a split you both think is fair.
4. Agree on quiet hours, overnight guests and how much notice to give before a party.
5. Decide how shared groceries and household supplies work.
6. Agree what happens if one of you wants to leave early, and how much notice to give.
7. Write it all on one page, sign it, and each keep a copy.
8. Set a monthly check-in to change anything that is not working.

The check question

Ask: When is the best time to agree on roommate rules? Answer: In the first week

From EveryManKnows. General information, not professional advice.