Questions to ask a potential roommate

Sleep and schedules

Sleep clashes are hard to fix once you share a room, so start here.

• What time do you usually go to bed and wake up, on weekdays and on weekends?
• Are you a light sleeper? Does light or noise wake you up?
• Do you nap during the day?
• How do you feel about alarms, and do you hit snooze?
• What does a normal week look like for you: classes, work, practice, going home?

Cleanliness

Southern Illinois University calls cleanliness one of the most common sources of arguments between roommates. Ask about habits, not labels: everyone says they are “pretty clean”.

• How often do you clean your space, and what does clean mean to you?
• How long do dishes or laundry sit before you deal with them?
• Would you rather split chores on a schedule or just handle things as they come up?
• How do you feel about shoes on in the room?

Guests, friends and partners

Roommate agreements like the University of North Florida’s include a section on guests, because it is an easy place for expectations to differ.

• How often do you like having friends over, and how late?
• How do you feel about overnight guests, including partners? How much notice would you want?
• Do you see the room as a place to hang out or a place to recharge?
• Are you planning to go home on weekends?

Noise and studying

• Where do you like to study: in the room, the library, somewhere else?
• Do you need quiet to study, or do you work with music or the TV on?
• Do you take calls or video chat in the room? At what times?
• Do you use headphones for music and shows?

Sharing, money and stuff

Decide what you are willing to share before you move in. It is much easier than untangling it later.

• Is it okay to borrow each other’s things, and do we ask first?
• Do we share food and snacks, or keep them separate?
• Which bigger items should we split or coordinate, like a fridge, microwave, rug or TV?
• How should we handle shared costs: split everything, or keep it simple?

Temperature, lights and the little things

• Do you run hot or cold? Fan on or off? Window open or closed?
• Lights on or off when one person is asleep?
• Any allergies, scents you cannot stand, or pets back home I should know about?
• Do you smoke or vape, and how do you feel if a roommate does?

Communication and conflict

Everyone handles disagreements differently, so say how you each prefer to deal with them before one comes up.

• If something I do bothers you, how would you want to tell me?
• Would you rather talk things out right away or take time first?
• Should we do a quick check-in every few weeks about how things are going?
• What is one thing a past roommate or sibling did that drove you crazy?

Extra questions for an off-campus roommate

Living off campus adds money and paperwork, so get these answers in writing.

• What is your budget for rent, and how should we split it if rooms are different sizes?
• Whose names go on the lease, and who pays the deposit?
• How do we split utilities, internet and shared supplies?
• What happens if one of us needs to move out early?
• How do you feel about pets, subletting over the summer, or a partner staying often?