If you are an only child or a person that has never shared a room with someone, the fact of being a roommate is something that you will need time to adjust to. However, this experience is the perfect learning opportunity to learn how to get along with people in situations where you just can’t leave and go home. It will prepare you for situations you will encounter in the work place and teach you valuable problem solving skills in how to get along with others. It will require you to exercise tact, cooperation and tolerance of the faults of others.

One thing that most roommates always do is choose the best bed or room when they are the first to arrive. The best way to start off on the right foot is to wait until your roommates arrive and then arrive at a mutual decision as to who sleeps where. This will show the others that you are willing to compromise. Even if there is one bed or room that everyone seems to want, you can flip a coin to see who gets it first and then make arrangements to switch after a period of time.

You should never to copy your roommate or try to go to the same places as your roommate. This is a sure sign that you lack the self-confidence to make your own decisions. Some people start to feel crowded when their roommate always wants to tag along with them. At the same time, if you do have a roommate that wants to go wherever you go and do the same things as you, you shouldn be rude and rebuff them. By gently introducing this person to new experiences and new friends you will be able to choose your own direction and give your roommate the self-confidence that he/she needs.

Before you take or use anything belonging to your roommate, you must always ask permission. Even if you don’t do this at home with your siblings, it is common courtesy to ask permission when you want to use something that belongs to others.

Having roommates has its pros and cons. While the presence of a roommate might impinge upon your privacy, it adds an element of safety. Rent costs are halved and one gets the advantage of companionship. However one needs to be very careful while choosing a roommate. A roommate with the wrong kind of friends and habits can wreak havoc on your life. So it is always advisable to look for references or, if possible, share your apartment with someone you already know.

It doesn’t always happen that you find your ideal roommate in your place of work/study. As a supply for this demand, several Web sites have sprung up where people looking for roommates and those looking for homes to share, can register. Each site gives you certain criteria which narrow down the search from its database. This will help you find a roommate pretty fast. The only drawback in this system is that it is hard to verify credentials. In that case one needs to trust one’s gut instincts and pay close attention to potential roommates. Evaluate them objectively and then go in for a mutual arrangement. Several Web sites dealing with real estate also have roommate registering sections. One can search through such databases and arrange to meet the potential roommates in person and then make a decision.

If you have rented an apartment, pay close attention to what your contract states. At times, the number of residents allowed in an apartment is specified. It is also essential to iron out how household expenses will be shared. An apartment needs maintenance too. So be sure to divide up the housekeeping duties also. Several happy roommate relationships have been known to break down over issues like expenses and housekeeping. Planning all of these things in advance can help to make sure these problems do not happen.

The best way to handle these situations is to politely communicate your feelings to your roommates. There is no point in keeping everything inside. When you keep things inside, it’s not good and can be detrimental to your health and overall well being. You will lose focus of more important things like school and work. Take the initiative and be pro-active about it. Speak to the roommates in your apartment and communicate your feelings. Ask them how they feel about it and attempt to resolve the problem. In the end, you will feel much better about the situation. Your roommates will acknowledge your concern and should take it into consideration. If the problem should repeat itself the next time around, bring it to the attention of the individual again. Since it’s the second time around, the individual should feel a little bit of guilt and work harder to rectify the problem.

Many owners of rental properties will let you have an animal friend living with you. Now, this pet can not be too big because the damage a pet can bring does not need to be substantial. Real big dogs and cats are looked down upon because they have the potential to disturb the peace and can cause great damage to the inside of any apartment when you are gone to work. If you are given the opportunity to have your pet with you, let it be written down in the contract.

Now, the human neighbors are another story. We all have to do a bit of compromising in order to live side-by-side with our human counterparts. That is just the way it is. We all have something that others will not like about us. But, there are a few individuals who just enjoy making other people’s lives miserable. They obviously have no lives of their own and must use your life to make their lives interesting. Always try to live peacefully and become friends with the owners.

A contract for a lease can be quite detailed. It may seem to be a waste of time but, it is important that you and the apartment owner come to an agreement to be completely up front with each other, and to write everything down in the contract. It is not nit picking to be cautious. You both have interests which need to be upheld and the best way to do that is through the written contract. Keep in mind that those who rent apartments and houses have their own ideas of what is appropriate for the leasing contract. Speak candidly with this individual so that you may know where he or she stands. You should read any contract carefully and any changes should be initialed by you and the apartment owner.

Heating costs are sometimes a surprise bill to tenants who didn’t realize they were responsible for their heat in addition to their rent. Asking who pays for the heat, and whether it is gas or electricity will allow you to estimate on your own what kind of cost the heat will be adding to your payments. The landlord can likely give you an approximation, but remember that he is trying to sell you something and may not be entirely honest or accurate. The more information you can find out up front, the fewer unpleasant surprises you will have later on.

Water is another possible headache you might have. Do the pipes normally freeze during the winter? Is there rust in the sinks? Do the sinks drain quickly or are they clogged? Is there hot water and good water pressure? Checking for cracked, leaking, or other evidences of damage and poor plumbing can not only tell you about the water in the apartment, but also the general maintenance. Appliances and electricity are important amenities to look over as well. A stovetop and oven that heats, a freezer and fridge that cools, and adequate electrical outlets for your needs are all things you should check to see are present and working properly.

A lot of complaints have been issued by tenants, to various government agencies about serious violations of the law regarding safety and health. Landlords retaliate against tenants who exercise their right to complain to the government agencies. This is prohibited. Under no circumstances your landlord should harass you for exercising your tenant rights.

You have a right for privacy inside your house or apartment. Your landlord has the right to enter the establishment but only after informing you about the visit, and giving you reasonable time to get prepared. There are emergency cases where the landlord may enter your apartment without prior notice, e.g. when the apartment is on fire but generally a landlord should not abuse this right to harass the tenant.

A lot of complaints have been issued by tenants, concerning discrimination of certain groups of people based on their race, their color, their sex, their age or marital status. This is again prohibited. A landlord may never refuse to rent an apartment for any such reasons. Tenants should complain to the appropriate agencies if they notice such behavior on behalf of the landlord. The laws concerning landlords and tenants are quite strict and everyone who abuse these laws may suffer serious consequences. So, exercise your rights. Learn your responsibilities. Don’t let anyone harass you or abuse your legal tenant rights for no reason. Protect yourself.