While roommate drama is something we all hoped to leave behind post-college, the reality of living in New York City makes cohabitation a must for many of us. Aside from the basics about work, rent payments and the duration of the lease, we recommend asking the following when conducting your roommate search:
1. Why are you looking for a roommate?
2. Have you lived with roommates before?
3. What have you liked/disliked about your past roommates?
4. Do you smoke?
5. Do you have any pets?
6. Are you a morning or night person?
7. What are your typical “hours” like? (related to work, weekends, nights, etc.)
8. Do you cook at home a lot?
9. Why are you moving out of your old place?
10. How many apartments have you looked at? Where?
11. Are you in a relationship?
12. Do you tend to have a lot of “sleepovers”?
13. How often do your friends/family visit?
14. What time do you typically get up and ready for the day?
15. Do dishes in the sink bother you?
16. How often do you think the apartment should be cleaned?
17. Do you want cable? the Internet? a cleaning lady?
18. How do you envision splitting the bills?
19. How do you feel about sharing food/toiletries etc.?
20. What TV shows/music do you like?
We also recommend asking for a reference from a former landlord and roommate. If a potential candidate gives you a tough time – onto the next, they must have something to hide.
Do you have other questions we should add to our list? How about suggestions to find a roommate in NYC? Add them in the comments below.
Submitted by RentalEngine.com. RentalEngine wants to streamline the apartment renting process. We aggregate no fee listings in New York City and combine them with online tools to make organizing and comparing apartments quick and easy. Curious? Try a search.
