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Help on Selecting a Roommate & Q&A
Jensen Beach, FL
Shared Homes History
(coming soon)
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Answers
Selecting a Roommate
Horror Stories
Love My Roommate!
This is for you or a friend is looking for a place and you would want to be
able to give/get the best advice possible.
With Jenson House we strive to
give people a home. Does this mean that someone may get on your nerves
every once in a while? Let's be honest YES! LOL No matter where you
go either with your best friend, work or school someone may get on your nerves.
But Jenson House has considered and paid attention to the things that could
bother you. So not only have we address the problems that could challenge
the harmony in the home, we have developed "Home Etiquette".
We know the Secret to having Great housemates.... RESPECT! It is so
simple. Respect each other, respect the home and, most of all, respect
yourself.
QUESTION…
What is the most important thing to keep in mind when renting a room in a shared
house? What should I look for good and bad? What would you want if you were
sharing a house?
ANSWERS...
jseah114 - I would think the most important thing would be having one's
privacy. Then you want to look at things like sharing of responsibilities, being
able to resolve things like ensuring that what's yours is yours (you're not
going to buy strawberries and put them in the fridge and then find out that some
one else ate them all). - With Jenson House there
is privacy especially you have a refrigerator and cable in
your bedroom.
AB - Obviously the environment is important, safety,
etc. However, they need to think about the legalities to renting out a room.
Have a signed agreement b/c the renter could go back on their word. Just get
everything in writing b/c you don't know what may come up. -
With Jenson House
you are only responsible for your share of the rent.
Hirebookk - I think compatibility is important. Each
potential roommate should make a list of items that are very important such as
safety, privacy, cleanliness etc. You can see how clean someone is usually when
you check out the place. - With Jenson House we clean the home about once a week.
Maryeforeman - There are a few things that they should consider. Is the
room private? Is there access to a bathroom? Is that bathroom private or
communal? What hours do the other occupants keep? Do the others have loud
parties, or do they keep to themselves? Is the house/room/bathroom clean? If the
kitchen is communal, what are the rules about food use?
With Jenson House there are 'quiet hours' and no loud
parties. Barbeques are always welcome. lol
Clearly, there are hundreds of questions that should be asked, but I would
suggest that the biggest issue at hand is how comfortable they feel. I think it
is essential that they visit the house and walk through. There is no way to know
how they will fit into the environment without experiencing it firsthand.
Feeling comfortable socially is important because a private room in a shared
home is very different from a single apartment. They will interact with the
others every day-- it's unavoidable. Because of this, the other important issue
is whether or not they feel safe. Whenever you live with someone that you don't
know very well, you become vulnerable, and this is one of those scenarios. -
With Jenson House there are no parties and no overnight
guests Sunday through Thursday... maybe an occasional barbeque.
e-mail us your questions and answers to
info2@jensonhouse.com
SELECTING A ROOMMATE
Missouri Western Study
http://clearinghouse.missouriwestern.edu/manuscripts/316.asp
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH - Selecting a roommate or
apartment mate is not as critical as finding your life’s companion, but it
shouldn’t be like a blind date either. No roommate will be perfect, but a bad
one will grow more annoying and frustrating over time and can cause long-lasting
problems. Whether a prospective roommate is your best friend or someone who
answers a classified ad, you should interview the person carefully and make sure
you know the answers to some specific questions.
-
Will the apartment be the place where you want to study,
or party, or both? What are the prospective roommate’s habits? Does he or she
smoke? (Do you?) What about alcohol or drug use? What about musical tastes?
Does reggae or jazz get on your nerves?
Outside
smoking only, we welcome all music... just not during quiet hours.
-
Do you stay at home a lot or do you prefer going out?
What are the prospective roommate’s priorities? Do you stay in your room or do
you like to take over the kitchen or TV room?
Each
bedroom has their own cable. You are free to come and go as you please.
-
Consider living habits. Remember the Odd Couple—Are you
like Felix or Oscar? It may seem trivial at first, but small things like
leaving dirty dishes for days, drinking milk out of the carton, or not
flushing the toilet can become very irritating over time.
With Jenson House if a challenge becomes a regular
problem we will take care of it for you.
-
How do you feel about guests sleeping over? Waking up
with your roommate’s boyfriend or girlfriend, friends from home, or the whole
wrestling team can be a memorable experience. Occasionally. But there’s
nothing worse than feeling uncomfortable in your own apartment. If your
roommate has frequent guests, and if they empty the refrigerator, hog the
PlayStation, or run up the phone bill, they can ruin your life and studies.
Overnight guests Friday and Saturday only.
-
Does it bother you if your roommate borrows your clothes,
shampoo, or computer? How about the groceries you bought?
You have your own small refrigerator and your bedroom
has a bath caddy.
-
Is your roommate financially responsible? Remember, if
your name is on the lease, you are legally obligated for the entire rent. If
he or she doesn’t pay, or moves out without paying, you may be left holding
the bag, perhaps in court in front of a judge.
With Jenson House your are only responsible for your share of the rent.
-
Pets can be fun and entertaining, but if you are allergic
to them or your lease prohibits them, a roommate must agree to leave Spot
behind. This is one thing that we do regret.
There are no un-caged pets allowed. Hey, this is a ship of adventures.
Your pet could be eaten by sharks or aliens. lol
-
When you find someone you think you could share an
apartment with, be sure to agree upon, and write down, a list of rules and
responsibilities. These should include shopping, laundry, cleaning schedule,
telephone and utilities payments, dos and don’ts in the kitchen and bathroom,
and anything else that is important to either or both of you.
With Jenson House we have done this for you. So
you are ready to go and enjoy your own freedom.
-
Finally, consider arranging an escape clause that
specifies who will stay and who will leave in case it doesn’t work out. Most
roommates stay together for only a year or two and then move on. Planning will
help avoid most major disagreements while living together, but if the
unexpected becomes a problem, remember that discussion and compromise is still
the best strategy. With Jenson House you are
not tied to one roommate. You are not tied to their problems. So
you can enjoy the friendships without the fights.
HORROR STORIES
Louiegirl_Chicago - sure. all you need is to meet one pathological liar that is
so good at it that s/he believes the lies her/himself, and then watch out! you
will get a security deposit. maybe the roommate will only pay half of it,
promising to pay you the balance when she moves in. then she comes in, does not
pay you, does not pay her portion of the utility bills that are listed in your
roommate agreement, and neither does she ever pay the rent. she bothers you
incessantly and you call the police to get her out. they tell you that it is a
civil matter. she tells them she has tenancy. they say to you that you must hire
an attorney to evict her. so does the landlord, because it is you, not the
landlord, that agreed to having this roommate. if she does not take your
personal property, count it a blessing. that is because she is sucking you dry
anyways. they honestly believe that they deserve to live without paying one red
cent! With Jenson House the rent of your
housemate is our problem not yours. We provide a great home with good
people. If anyone does not pay their rent it is an insult to everything
that we are trying to achieve for your happiness and harmony. They will be
evicted within days.
hol - 1. My roommate almost always leaves his hair in the
tub after a shower! He has black curly hair and it just looks sick.
2. He complains all the time that I do not clean enough, but he has never
cleaned the bathroom, doesn't vacuum, doesn't dust, etc. And normally I am the
one who does dishes, sometimes he does.
3/ He watches TV really loud, always. I mean I can hear it from across the
house.
4. He has made holes in the wall by punching it or throwing things at it when he
gets mad.
5. Has a bad temper and always is nagging, nagging.
I am sure there is more, but it would take up too much room.
Fortunately for you but unfortunately for your roommate he
would not last at Jenson House. It there is 1 word to describe living
with each other here at Jenson House it is respect.
tryingmybest79 - Although this happened to be in a dorm,
she was still my roommate and we shared a living space. (A tiny living space.)
She didn't necessarily do anything directly to me, but the passive nature of the
situation is what makes it unsettling.
My main problem. Yellow Skittles. Do you have any idea how unnerving it is to
find yellow Skittles in the most unlikely of places. I am fairly positive that a
majority of them were placed, instead of just stray candies. She ate a 2lb bag
of Skittles EVERY DAY but refused to eat the yellow ones. I found them in my
shoes, in my dirty clothes, on my bed, in my pillowcase, behind my books on the
shelf, under the carpet, in the sink, in the medicine cabinet, in the
refrigerator, under EVERYTHING. Her excuse? "I throw them at the garbage, but
sometimes they bounce."
This was in addition to the silent meditative daze she would settle into and
sometimes lay on her bed motionless except for the occasional mewing, like a
dying cat. And the empty spaghetti cans everywhere. She lived off of canned
spaghetti and skittles. The "fun" part of the spaghetti was watching her pour
milk over the spaghetti and drink it until all the sauce was gone, then "drink"
the noodles up through a straw. Literally, 2-3 times a day.
This went on for 2 years. Fun.
Our homes
are cleaned regularly but this made us laugh... sorry. LOL DON'T GET
ANY IDEAS!!! LOL ROFL
Julia B - My roommate moved in and then quit her job. She
was going to be the maid. I didn't agree. If I have to work so does everyone
else. I quit buying food. I paid the utilities and rent and moved as soon as I
could. Make sure you know your roommates payment history!
Niya - Well I don't have much of a horror story, but I had this roommate in
college that love to be around people. She did not have any respect for me, I am
the type of person that do not like to be around a lot of people so often. I am
a very reserved person. This roommate always had people over, so I asked her if
she would mine if she could not have people over all the time, just some of the
time, she ignored me, and I could not change rooms. This roommate had her
friends come in and let them turn the T.V. while I would be watching the T V.
They would turn up the radio while i would be studying or sleeping. Sometimes
they would pile up in my room and have a party while I was studying. They would
be very disrespectful. But to make a long story short, She ended up moving out
after we had a big argument.
Here at Jenson House is it about
Fun, Friends and the Finer Things in life. Jenson House is a real home.
Who said that is is better the live alone? As long as you are with people
that respect one another you will have great memories of laughter, caring and
happiness that will last a life time. There is Nothing better than being a
part of a team that respects each other. The dreams, the goals, the
possibilities are endless.
LOVE MY ROOMMATE!
Mellie - I think that living with someone else is a good idea. It gives you
opportunities for social interactions, and prepares you for dealing with people
in the real world.
Sarah - I like that you're NEVER alone. You Usually become good friends with
your roommates (If you arent already). +, you make alot more friends, and
expand your "group". your friends become her friends, and vice versa.
fireball226 - s*x friendship and conversation and financially good too
Anonymous - I like that you can do what ever you want, go where ever you want,
and it gives you the opportunity to be more responsible. Like, right now i'm
living with my parents, but when I was living with my aunt and cousins for a
bit, I felt so .. free. I went out at night (Im not a wild girl, I have
boundaries), went out on dates, hung out with some new friends I met.. It was
great! I don't have a roommate right now, hopefully I will when/if I go off to
college in about 2-3 years.. (Im in college now, I mean if I ever decide to go
state-side). But yea! Having a room mate is so cool.
Annie S - Someone to talk to when you are feeling lonely
Jason G - Not fitting the entire bill myself.
mlp7 - I like mine because we "do it" a lot...but she is my wife...during
college a roommate was cool cause there was always something going on and the
bills were cheaper
concerned - Safety in numbers...That's about it.
maddog27271 - Safety! In case of sudden illness/accident, or threat of assault
etc.
aimeeme_g - I live in my home with another small family, and not only do we save
money but the cleaning is done together so there is not as much work. We share
the cooking also. Another good point is between both families we have a lot of
small children and some one is always there to keep an eye out. I also like
having someone around to talk to and hang out with.
CPUGenuis - a teacher of mine was talking about meningitus, if my teacher (i
think it was my teacher, mabe it was her friend....) wasn't there to call the
ambulance, the person would have died....
so, protection, also things like bills (which you stated), and somebody to keep
you company....
spazz5699 - its definitely better to have a roomate.
everyone craves at least some social interaction, and living with another person
(whose company you enjoy) is a great step toward satisfying that basic human
need.
also, cooking for one sucks.
Raisedbycoyotes - Well, I've lived with a housemate for a long time. It's great
to have someone stay home and be with the dogs when I'm gone. Fun to share
movies with them and go out and socialize if we want. It's good to learn
cooperation too.....I can say, I'll mow the lawn will you cook dinner?
Fun most of the time.
Nigerian_Samirah - Your never alone and you always have
someone to talk to and have fun with.
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