This topic is not an easy one but is certainly something most of us can relate to: how to break up with a roommate. Unless you happen to fall madly in love with your roommate, the chances are that your next living situation isn’t going to last forever either. Here’s how to start things off on the right foot and get ahead of the game in preventing a bad roommate breakup.
Know your role
If you find the place then seek a roommate afterward, you have the upperhand in asking them to move out if it goes poorly. If you’re the one seeking a roommate, know this will usually put you in a better position to walk away when your obligation is up.
We want prenup
One of the best things you can do when you’re moving in with someone new is to draw up a roomie pre-nup of sorts. Have a clear rental agreement in place. Outline things like who gets to keep the apartment if you decide to part ways. Write down who brought what into the apartment when you moved in and keep the list going for new items (who gets to keep the gorgeous lamps you picked out together?).
No halfsies
Avoid going dutch on big ticket items: try to divvy up the expenses so you can leave with just what you purchased and don’t have to divide up the assets.
Ready to find your next apartment?
No new friends
Agree upon who is allowed to stay at the apartment and for how long. This may seem extreme, but when your roomie’s messy boyfriend unofficially moves in, you’ll be glad you have a clearly outlined agreement about when he needs to start paying rent.
Selfie time
Take a good look at your own habits and reflect on what you can do to be a better roommate. So often, what drives us crazy about other people is the exact thing we know we need to work on ourselves- take a little time to reflect on how to lead by example in the future. If you need a little guidance on what not to do, we’ve got you covered.