As an apartment renter looking to have a roommate, one must be aware of the pros and cons the decision brings with it. You might be looking for a single roommate or hopping to live with multiple roommates, knowing what good and bad can happen to you would help you immensely.
Read through the section below to get acquainted with various pros and cons of having a roommate.
Pro: You will get to save money both on utilities and rent
When you have a roommate, you will be able to split the expenses of utilities and rent. You can use the saved money to increase your savings or to rent a bigger, nicer apartment, whichever suits you and your roommate better.
There will also be the option of sharing the costs of items like groceries. Ideally, you and your roommate should reach an agreement regarding various expenses you will be sharing before you start living together in an apartment.
Con: Your roommate may be late or miss rent payments
While splitting expenses would allow you to save a significant amount of money every month, it might cause serious issues for you if your roommate fails to make his/her payment.
Other than paying the entire rental fee, you will also have to bear the entire cost of utilities, which might increase significantly due to the presence of a second individual in the house.
So, before finalizing the deal with your potential roomie, you must check his or her work history. It would be wise to avoid individuals who get fired or quit jobs very frequently. You should also stay away from people who have bad credit history.
Pro: Your roommate can be of great help when cleaning the house
When cleaning your apartment, you will get to share the chores with your roommate. If there are some daily cleaning jobs you hate doing, ask your roomie whether he/she is comfortable in completing them. Similarly, help the other person by completing jobs he/she is not very fond of.
Con: Your roommate could be messy
When two individuals live together in an apartment, the rooms can occasionally get messy quickly! The part of the house that will be affected most badly is possibly your kitchen and dining area. You might see your trash bins overflowing and dishes piling up in the kitchen sink. Such situations take little time to trigger the annoying blame game. So, when renting you should make sure that the person you are planning to live with is tidy.
Pro: You will always have someone to speak to
Having a roommate can help in turning your leisure into some fun-filled hours. You will have someone to play board games or cook dinner with! You two can also sit down on the couch to chat about work and personal life or binge Netflix all night.
Con: You’ll probably have to set clear boundaries if you want to be alone
If the two of you don’t get along, living in the apartment might become a nightmare for you. So, if you are looking to live with a person you already know, make sure he or she is understanding and well-behaved.