- Meet any potential roommates or sublets before agreeing to room with them or allowing them to sublet your apartment***
- Talk about your expectations and do not agree to live with someone or sublet to someone who will not respect your apartment or living preferences.
- Do not make rent or other expense payments for roommates or sublets.
***CAUTION! If a potential roommate, or someone purporting to act on his or her behalf, proposes to send you a check (for a security deposit, rent, or any reason) and then asks that you use a portion of the money and return money from that check to them, IT IS--ALMOST CERTAINLY--A SCAM!
Never give someone cash for “paper” (a check, money order, Traveler’s cheque, IOU or whatever) until your bank has presented the instrument to the original bank and it has been honored (paid.) If you have sufficient funds on deposit with a bank to cover such an instrument, they WILL give you cash for the paper if you present it to them with your endorsement. If the paper then turns out to be counterfeit (or otherwise dishonorable) and the maker’s bank will not pay it, your account will be debited!
This is a popular Internet scam (esp on Craigslist). UNC students have lost thousands of dollars to such scammers.
- Who will occupy specific bedrooms and how the rent will be split per person, if not stated in the lease.
- Concerning the purchase of food - will it be for individual or communal consumption?
- The purchase of household supplies and furniture.
- Who places the utilities in their name, and how those are paid each month.
- The use of personal items and individual property. Think of the major items like personal computers and entertainment equipment as well as smaller items like toiletries.
- How to remedy situations when personal property is damaged or comes up missing when the responsible party cannot be identified.
- Creating a policy for entertaining guests. Discuss with your roommates rules on overnight guests and how long guests can stay.
Roommate agreements
A roommate agreement is a written document outlining expectations for people living with roommates. A roommate agreement can be useful for several reasons. Most importantly, it encourages everyone to work as a group in forging an agreement. It is also valuable in that it limits future misunderstandings concerning expectations. The topics in this section are good topics to include in your roommate agreement. A quick internet search for "roommate agreements" will yield some solid samples to use.
Legal issues and roommates
There are two important legal considerations to keep in mind that relate to rommates. They are Constructive Possession and Joint and Several Liability. Constructive possession refers to the potential to be held legally responsible for illegal substances that may not technically "belong" to you, but that are discovered in places that you have the power to exert domain over, such as within an apartment. Joint and several liability refers to the potential to be held legally and financially responsible for rent payments and lease obligations should a roommate fail to uphold their end of a contract. For a full legal description and understanding of how these laws can apply to you, please contact UNC Student Legal Services at
Conflict
Conflicts do occur between roommates. It is important to try and resolve disputes promptly when they arise with tact and honesty. Remember; try to remain calm and diplomatic when dealing with these disagreements. Open lines of communication can be critical in helping to resolve disputes in an effective manner. If you are unable to resolve a conflict, please contact the Office of the Dean of Students at
