How to Draw Up A Roommate Agreement

If you just got a new roommate or currently have a roommate, it's a good idea to have some type of roommate agreement to follow some basic rules in your household. These rules can range everywhere from household chores to financial arrangements-you decide.

Either way, some type of roommate agreement is beneficial and can lead to less confrontations once some basic ground rules are established.

Roommate Agreement Terms

If at all possible, it's a nice idea if you and your roommate can work up a roommate agreement together. Topics such as rent terms, breaking the lease, living space, cleaning, guests and more can all be included within your agreement.  

You can have this agreement written down on paper where all parties sign to it or it can be verbal. The key for a roommate agreement to successfully work is to make sure the agreement is respected, followed and enforced by all roommates.

Personally, I think topics involving the daily living aspect with roommates are the most important part of a roommate agreement and it should be clearly outlined and defined.  

Rent terms and  financial obligations are a given and you would be a fool NOT to discuss these terms when living with a complete stranger or even your best friend.  

Some of the biggest problems I've encountered with roommates wasn't over money, which basically is what the "rent terms and financial obligations" are all about, but over household chores, guests, noise, living space, personal items and food if you could believe that.  

This is the basic everyday "living" part that sometimes can lead to more confrontations than arguments over money.   

"Living With Roommates"

To make everyday living with roommates easier, discuss these topics up front and openly to avoid shouting matches with your roommate:


Household Chores

Guess what?  

"Your mama doesn't live here!"  

Divide chores and see to it that all parties do their part. Sounds silly, but do you always want to be the one to take out the garbage every night or have to come home to a sink full of soiled dishes?  

You and your roommate are adults and as adults, you should be mature and responsible enough to clean up after yourself.


Guests
A guest here and there is usually not a problem, but what if your roommate has a significant other?  

Are you comfortable with their significant other always spending the night at your place, especially if they eat up all the food and make a mess? What if your roommate moves their significant other in without telling you?  

Are you guys going to split the rent three ways or are you going to make them move? Make sure the topic of boyfriends and girlfriends are discussed thoroughly and completely. I've seen one too many fights on this topic where one roommate usually ends up breaking the the lease and moving out.


Noise
Do you or your roommate have a tendency to play music really loud?  It may not be a problem during the day, but what if your roommate does this at 2am?  

A simple agreement like turning down the stereo at 10pm or 11pm is more than fair and courteous. 


Personal Items
Hey, did your roommate say you can borrow that jacket? Sometimes people you meet can appear so sweet and friendly, but as soon as you touch their thing, they can become real nasty. 

Before borrowing anything from your roommate or your roommate borrowing anything from you, make sure it's ok.  

This includes borrowing  CDs, DVDs, the computer, clothes, jewelry, heck even a pen (especially if it's removed off the computer desk). ASK, ASK, ASK!


Living Space
Most of the space in your apartment will be shared, but sometimes you may find a situation where you or your roommate will get very particular about personal space.  

For instance, some people are very sensitive about people going into their bedroom. I've even seen people lock their bedroom when they leave the house because they are that serious about privacy and their space.  

In general you shouldn't be going into anyone's bedroom and vice versa. Just to make sure you don't snap at your roommate or you don't get snapped at, discuss topics about privacy and space to see where the boundaries should be drawn.


Food
In my household, one of the roommate agreements is to split the grocery bill three ways because we don't want to get into the habit where one person screams "That juice is mine!" or "Who ate all my yogurt?"  

However, some people wish to have food only for themselves and don't like or want to share, especially if they paid for it. Sounds unimportant, but discuss whether or not you and your roommate will do grocery shopping together or separately.

If it is separate, designate shelves in the refrigerator for you and for your roommate. If there comes a time when you would like to eat something your roommate bought, ask first.  

However, don't be surprised if they say no. If you know your roommate is petty and selfish to actually say no, offer to replace the item the next day.


Conflicts
They're unavoidable if you have roommates.  

To help resolve some of the smaller issues that arise, sit down with your roommate and have a house meeting to reinforce some of the rules. Household meetings should always be apart of your roommate agreement because it's a great way for you and your roommate to solve problems together.  

The silent treatment act just won't work if there is a problem and it will only cause tension in your household.  

Therefore, as with any type of relationship, living with roommates is a give and take situation that requires compromise. If a problem aries that can't be resolved easily and maturely get a mediator to help, but whatever you do, don't let problems linger.

Roommate agreements are great and do work if everyone does their part. They don't have to be overly complicated or technical, just thorough enough so all parties understand the rules. 

T.Bo

Best Friends Don't Always Make For Perfect Roommates

Searching for apartments to rent?  Need a roommate to split the rent with?  If you need a roommate and have a best friend, you might think your bff will make the perfect roommate for you.  And why not?  You two have the same style in clothing, the same taste in music, love the same kind of movies and plain simply, you two get along great together.  However, when it comes down to renting an apartment, your relationship as best friends will switch over to a new kind or relationship: roommates.  

A relationship with a roommate is much different than a relationship with a bff because with a roommate, responsibilities regarding a leased apartment are shared.  If you get an apartment with your bff you both will be responsible for things like rent, water bill, gas bill, electric, cable, internet and phone bill, along with your own personal finances like your cell phone, car note, car insurance, health insurance, student loans, food and all the other miscellaneous items that pop up everyday.  To spell it out clearly for you, sharing an apartment will boil down to one thing-MONEY!

Ask yourself is your bff responsible?  Are they decent with handling money and can pay their financial obligations on time?  Do they have a steady job?  If you don't honestly answer these questions to yourself and decide to have your bff as a roommate, be prepared for the relationship to go sour if an incident occurs over money.  I went through it twice myself and I seen it happen to several friends of mine.   It's unfortunate, but money  has been the cause for many marriages, business partnerships and friendships to break up.  Sure there is a list of other reasons why you and your bff could stop being friends if you become roommates, but with that said, if living with your bff doesn't work out, keep in mind you guys may end up becoming enemies.

Tips To Make Having Your BFF As Your Roommate Work

1. Before moving in with your bff, first find out what I mentioned above.  Do they have a steady job?  Can your bff easily afford their share of the rent plus other expenses?  It's a good idea to break down living expenses on paper so you and your bff can see in black and white how much it will cost to share an apartment together.  

2. Sit down with your bff and explore issues that could lead to a confrontation.  How would you two resolve those issues?  Be sure to ask questions like "What would happen if one month I don't have money for the rent" or "Would you be upset if my boyfriend/girlfriend sleeps over a few times a week"?  Learning how to solve problems together as roommates will lead to less fights and arguments.

3. You and your bff obviously come from different home lives.  Are you a neat freak and your bff is a total slob whose mom always clean up after them?  If so, a roommate agreement may be helpful to outline some rules of your new home.  Rules like the garbage must be taken out every night, no dishes in the sink, common areas like the bathroom and living must always stay clean can make a world of difference and lead to less confrontation down the road.

4. When it comes to bills like the internet, gas and electric, it may be a good idea to have both your names on the billing statements.  That way if a bill becomes deliqueent, it will affect your credit report equally.  Hey, it's only fair.

5. As roommates, don't assume you can just waltz into your bff's room and borrow clothing or jewelry whenever you want.  Always ask to borrow something even if you know your bff will say yes.  Privacy and being respectful of your roommate's things is key to smooth roommate living.

6. Are you two going to split the food bill together?  You'd be surprised how fights start because your roommate ate your yogurt or you ate all of their ice cream.  I personally think it's good idea to shop for food together.  However, feel free to buy items you want solely for yourself, but just don't hide food from your roommate.  It's not cool and it's petty.  If you buy something you want for yourself, tell your roommate in a polite manner not to touch it.  Vice versa, if you see something in the fridge that wasn't bought together, but you want to eat it, ask your roommate if you can have some.  

7. Love to have guests over?  If you often like to have friends over late at night, be courteous towards your roommate's schedule.  Check in to see if your roommate has to work early the next morning or has finals to take the next day. 

8. Does your bff have a boyfriend/girlfriend that will be sleeping over all the time?  Will you be comfortable with that?  Ask this up front before it becomes a problem.  Also, if your roommate's significant other will be eating up the food you bought together, "the new 3rd roommate" has to chip in money towards the food bill.  A sandwich here and there is no big deal, but if every time you turn around and your roommate's significant other is always in the fridge, it is a big deal.  Food costs money honey.  Just the same, if your roommate's significant other makes a mess around the house, they have to clean up after themselves.  

9.  Another thing about significant others-be careful about always having them around your bff or be careful being around your bff's significant other.  I'm not trying to start something here, I'm just saying I've seen affairs happen as well because roommates get too comfy with having their significant other around the apartment.  The last thing you want is to come home and see your man/girl sleeping with your bff/roommate or being accused of sleeping with your bff/roommate's man/girl.  Not cool!  If that's the case, have your boyfriend/girlfriend as your roommate.  Otherwise, don't leave your man/girl home alone with your bff or be home alone too often with your bff's man/girl!  

10. As with clothes, don't assume you can use or borrow your roommate's electronics.  If you need to get on your roommate's computer for example, ask, ask, ask!  People store private information on their computer from account numbers to journals. I had a friend once who accidental read his bff/roommate's email only to find that his bff was talking trash about him to another friend of theirs.  If you don't want to go through that kind of experience, my advice is to always ask first.

11.  This is one of the main reason why bffs stop being friends-one roommate unexpectedly decides to break the lease and move out, while leaving the other roommate stuck with the apartment and expenses.  If you don't really know or understand much about leases, you better learn.  Some landlords will be more aggressive than others about going after people who break their lease. 

Yes, I understand it's impossible to predict the future, but when you move in with your bff the two of you should agree not to break the lease and move out until the lease is up.   If you and your roommate can't guarantee that you guys won't break the lease, move into an apartment where they have short term leases like 3 months, 6 months and 12 months.  Take my word for it, break the lease without warning your bff/roommate and I promise you guys won't be friends anymore.  I've seen friends sue each other for back rent because of broken leases!

Having your best friend as your roommate can work, but problems happen because best friends sometimes take advantage of each other because they are best friends.  If you value your relationship with your bff and have been friends for years, I honestly don't reccommend having your bff as a roommate.  Sign up for a roommate listing instead.  Sorry, but within a year of living with each other as roommates, I've seen too many relationships between best friends end, mainly because money.  Best friends don't always make for perfect roommates!  Take it from me-I lost 2 best friends this way.   

T. Bo

Roommates Help Pay The Rent!

In times like these when the economy is slow, having a roommate to help pay the rent definitely helps.   In big cities like New York, Los Angeles and Miami, rent for a 1 bedroom apartment can easily go for $2000 a month.  Wow that's a lot!  Sure you can find a 1 bedroom apartment for $1,200, $1,300 or $1,400 per month, but that's still a lot of money to be shelling out for something you don't own.  Here in Los Angeles where I live, I'm paying $1,320 per month for my rent and honestly I cannot afford that by myself as a freelancer.  Therefore, I need to have roommates (yup-I have two).  Of course I wish I could live by myself and not deal with two female roommates, but let me tell you, when the rent is due at the end of the month along with the water bill, the electric bill, the gas bill and everything else I have to pay for in my life, I am HAPPY to split my $1,320 rent 3 ways.

Case Study

I have a friend who recently moved into a much smaller apartment because he could no longer afford to pay his rent.  He had a very nice 1 bedroom apartment out in Hollywood, but the rent was going up to over $1,300 a month.  He didn't have roommates like me, but was considering one because he works as a freelancer as well.  Due to his busy schedule however, he didn't have a lot of time to meet with individual people to see who he would like to move in with.  So eventually he ended up moving into a studio apartment. 

At his new place he has no garage parking like he had with his old apartment, most of his furniture is now in storage where he is paying $100 a month and the neighborhood where he now lives in is well...so-so (his last neighborhood was really nice).  But hey, my friend was able to cut his rent almost in half and he's happy.

So Where Do You Fall In?

Maybe you too can move into a studio apartment if you find you are paying too much  for rent.  If you have good credit, a steady work history and a chuck of cash saved up, maybe you can try buying some property.  However, if you have been reading the papers lately, many homeowners are going through foreclosure because mortgages are spinning out of control too.  As a matter of fact, a good number of those  homeowners are moving their families into apartments and I'm sure the living space is much smaller than what they are accustomed to.  

If you are finding yourself struggling with the rent, try considering getting or moving in with a roommate.  Just the same, if you live in a big house and have an extra room, why not have that room for rent?  Not glamourous I know, but it's only temporary and you can save some extra money each month.  

Imagine if you are paying $1,200 a month for an apartment.   Could saving half of that ($600) every month for a year in some way help you out?   You could pay down your car note, credit cards bills, student loans and more!  If you are lucky to find a cheap studio apartment where you can live by yourself, then go for it.  However, if you are not in the position to move and you have a large living space or an extra room to rent, get a roommate.

The Upside

Having a roommate is really not all that bad and can actually be an advantage both financially and socially. Yes I understand you will feel like you are giving up on what you cherish the most- your privacy-but you will soon adjust to the situation.  The key is to find the perfect roommate for you and yes, it is possible.  One of y current roommates is the best roommate I've had to date (the other one is my twin sister so she doesn't count).  I searched long and hard to find the perfect female roommate for me and you know what, it was well worth it.  Do I sometimes have problems with my roommates and get into arguments?  Of course I do, but we work through our problems like mature adults and then everything is peachy again.

Piece of cake!

If your rent is becoming too expensive for you to manage, look into moving into a smaller, more affordable apartment or try to find a roommate through a roommate listing.  Having a roommate is not all that bad, especially if it helps you to save up some money.  Let's face it-times are hard and the rent isn't getting any cheaper.  So until you can afford that penthouse on your own, get a roommate, save up some money and be happy (because saving extra money always makes people happy :)!

Cheers!

T. Bo

Roommates And Leases

Now that you found a roommate, the next step for you to do is to put your roommate on the lease.  Obviously not everyone will want to do this, but it's advised that you do.  However, the decision will ultimately lie up to you.  Just keep in mind that if you don't add your roommate to your lease, you could face consequences if caught with someone else living in your apartment.

Leases

An apartment lease is a legally binding contract between a tenant and a landlord that outlines the terms and conditions of the contract as well as the responsibilities of both parties.  A lease will include information like the occupants of an apartment, lease term, rent amount, late fees, pets, etc.   

Once your roommate is added to the lease, they will have the legal right to live in your apartment regardless whether or not you lived there for 1 year or 5 years by yourself.  At the same time, they are equally responsible for the terms and conditions outlined in the lease. With that said, if you or your roommate break the lease or violate any of the rules within the lease, you both could be subjected to monetary penalties, an eviction, a lawsuit or all three by your landlord. 

Importance Of Selecting The Right Roommate

I've said it before and I will say it again: make sure you select a roommate you like and are compatible with because there is nothing worst than living with somebody you hate (this includes evaluating whether or not it's a good a idea to live with your best friend).  I should know because I had my fair share of roommate nightmares.  If you wake up one day and decide you don't want to live with your roommate anymore, it will be very difficult for you to get rid of them because they are on the lease.   So with that in mind, before moving anyone into your apartment, make darn sure you are comfortable living with that person for at least a year (or for however long your lease term is).

Roommate Disagreements

There will be times when you and your roommate will have disagreements where the two of you will not get along, that's inevitable.  Small disagreements can usually be discussed and resolved fairly easily.  However, if a disagreement arises where a resolution can't be met that leads you to believe you can no longer live with that person, you have a challenging road ahead of you. Remember, your roommate has a right to live in your apartment if they are on the lease.  If the problem persists and you can't bare to live with your roommate anymore, try asking your roommate to move out.  Here's the kicker...what do you do if they refuse to move?  If something like this happens, I advise you go immediately to your landlord to discuss your options.

Whether you live in a private duplex or a 200-unit apartment building, no two leases will be the same.  Therefore, you never know what your landlord can do for you.  Your landlord may be able to place you in another apartment where you won't be charged any additional fees or penalties or they might have a community mediator that's experienced in handling roommate disputes.  That's the good news.  On the other hand, if you find your landlord is unable to help and you absolutely can't resolve the dispute with your roommate on your own, you have several options:

1. Tough it out and continue to live with your roommate until the lease is up 

2. Break your lease and YOU move out

3. Seek a mediator

4. Seek a lawyer if the situation is really serious

5. Go to small claims court if suing for money (i.e. back rent, damages to property or personal belongings etc.) 

Breaking Your Lease

To be honest, I never broken a lease before and therefore I don't know much about it. I came close when I had a situation with an ex-roommate from hell, where I never signed my name to the new lease with his signature on it.  Yes I know it's hypocritical to say add your roommate to the lease when technically I never added mine.  In all honesty I was going to, but because of my heavy work load due to my school schedule, I never got around to doing it.  Luckily for me, after living with my roommate for a few months, I realized the arrangement was not going to work out.  

Now, my landlord was constantly calling me to come down to the management office to sign the new lease agreement.  I was just deliberately avoiding my landlord because I knew signing the new lease would give my roommate every right to be in my apartment.  Still, I'd figured since my roommate was already living in my apartment and had already signed his name to the lease, I wouldn't be able to legally evict him anyway. 

Concerned and fed up with my roommate (he had stopped paying me rent), I finally went to my landlord to talk about my troubles and see if I had any options.   To my surprise, because I didn't sign my name to the new lease, the apartment was still legally mine under the old one.  If I wanted to evict my roommate I could.  So guess what...I did (I wanted a female roommate anyway)!  True, not exactly an example of breaking a lease, but here's one that is.  Read on...

A few years ago my sister had a two bedroom apartment with an ex-best friend of ours when one day the ex-friend just upped and moved out of the apartment leaving my sister to flip the bill.  Because my sister was a student at the time and could not afford the rent by herself, she immediately went to her landlord for help.  The landlord didn't fault my sister for the broken lease and was nice enough to move her into a one bedroom apartment she could afford at no extra cost (i.e. transfer fees).  The landlord instead went after the ex-friend for breaking her end of the lease.  

If your lease is broken due to no fault of your own, chances are your landlord may only take action against the party that broke the lease.  However, if you decide to break your lease, that's a whole different story.  I'm not saying all landlords will necessarily take action against you, but I am saying be prepared just in case they do (i.e. back rent).  Some of my friends who have broken leases say it's no big deal.  According to them, the only problem you may ever face is when you go rent out another apartment.  The landlord may ask you to pay an extra month's rent for the security deposit or add a co-signer to the rental agreement due to your negative rental history.

Well that's it!  

Like I said, at the end of the day it will be solely up to you whether or not to add your roommate to your lease.  With that said, I wish you and your new roommate happy times ahead.  Remember, if you ever run into any problems where you want your roommate to move without being penalized for breaking the lease, go to your landlord for help!  

T. Bo

How to Find a Roommate Fast!

Still continuing your search for a roommate, but with no luck? If people are looking at your apartment, but decline to accept your offer to move in, try offering an incentive or two!


Lower Rent
Using incentives to find a roommate is simple and effective. It just takes a little compromise, negotiation and creativity on your part to make an offer attractive. The easiest incentive to offer that's the most attractive is to offer lower rent. Nothing crazy...just $25, $50 a $100 or so. If you can afford to lower the rent by just a little, what would it hurt?


Paid Utilities
Offering to pay for all the utilities is also a big one. However, do your the math. If paying for the utilities come out to be higher than lowering the rent by $100, go with the lower rent!

(Read More!)

Continue Your Roommate Search By Signing Up For A Roommate Listing

Improve your Roommate Search by Joining a Roommate Listing on the Web

You've asked your family and friends if they knew of anyone who needed a place to live.  You put up fliers around your school or office.  You even placed an ad in one of those small penny saver newspapers.  Still...nothing.  Well, if finding the perfect roommate is taking longer than expected, you might want to consider signing up for a roommate listing service.  

Roommate Listings

Roommate listings can be very useful in your search for finding a roommate. There are many listings on the web and there are even listings where you can be specific in the type of roommate you are looking for.  For example, there are listings services for Jewish, Christian, gay, lesbian, vegan and even eco roommates.   With so many kinds of listings on the web, it's easy to select the roommate listing that suits your needs.

Most roommate listings will let you create a profile for free where you can advertise you have a room available to rent.  However, once people start contacting you through your profile, you will have to "upgrade" to a paid membership to reply to messages. Membership on some listings can go as high as $29.99 per month.  However, if you are not too keen on the idea of paying monthly for a roommate listing, search around for listings that are totally free or offer a free trial membership.  

If you try a free membership and find you are getting quality responses from candidates who fit what you are looking for, it wouldn't hurt to sign up for one paid month.  Always read the FAQ section of any roommate listing before signing up.  It's important to know about cancellation policies in case you decide you want to deactivate or close your account/profile. Once you sign up for a paid membership, you will have the privilege to reply back to as many emails as you want. 

As always, try to get as much information as you can from the other person before giving out your personal information. If you haven't read my article about roommate scams, then what are you waiting for?  Roommate listings are great to help you find a roommate because you can advertise to thousands of people, but it also subjects you to scam artists who are out there looking to steal your money and/or identity.   Before signing up for any listing, whether it's free or paid, be an expert on how to recognize a roommate scam.  Unfortunately, you WILL receive your fair share of email scams to your post.  However, don't let this discourage you from signing up with a roommate listing because you can find honest and decent people who are looking for a place to live.

Your Roommate Profile

When putting together your profile, this is your chance to sell yourself and your place.  If you don't have an apartment that has crown moulding, hardwood floors, gated parking or a resort style pool, so what!  When I was searching for my current roommate, I had a 1 bedroom apartment where I needed someone to be comfortable sleeping out in the living room.  Was every female reading my ad comfortable with this idea?  No, but I made sure to include that fact in my ad. That way, I only had to deal with potential candidates who understood and was comfortable with this type of living arrangement.  

Although I was doubtful and even convinced I wouldn't be able to find a female roommate who was comfortable with the idea of sleeping in my living room, I lucked out.  At the time I was searching for a roommate, I was a student and I was fortunate enough to find a very nice girl through my school.  Living situations with students are usually short term, so two people in a studio or 1 bedroom at my school was common. Besides, as students living in Los Angeles, the fact that the rent was going to be under $600 each also helped.

The point I want to make is no matter how big, small, fancy or cheap your place is, you can and will find your ideal roommate.  The best way to do this is to write a profile that gives people an idea about your personality and includes facts and/or perks about your apartment.  Yeah sure there could be nothing interesting to say about your place, but maybe your place is located close to the freeways, local transportation, a college or a shopping area.   Or maybe the amenities at your complex offers a gym, washer and drier in every unit, a business center or storage space.  Whatever it is, just make your profile and your apartment sound as interesting as possible.

That's it really!   

By signing up for a roommate listing, posting up fliers at your school or job and continuing to ask around your family and friends, you will find the right person in no time.  Want more ways to find a roommate?  Try getting the word out at your local gym, community center, church or club affiliation.  Just maximize as many venues as possible and your roommate search will eventually pay off.

T. Bo

The Advantages of Having a Roommate

Need to have a Roommate

Maybe this is your first time or your 5th time getting a roommate. Regardless, I'm sure one of the main reasons why you may need a roommate is to cut the costs of your living expenses.  Still you are not exactly thrilled about sharing your space with some stranger or even your best friend because you like your privacy and your space.   But if you are in a position right now where you sort of need a roommate for a short period of time, take a look at these advantages that makes having a roommate a little more fun.  

Benefits to Having a Roommate

1. You can split the rent in half (and even if you can afford the rent by yourself, you can save the extra half to pay down bills, pay for a nicer car or save for a down payment on a house)
   
2. Split utilities in half
3. Have someone to talk to and keep you company (especially if you hate or afraid of being alone in the house)
4. You and your roommate can combine furniture, kitchenware and electronics
5. Make new friends with your roommate's friends and vice versa
6. If from different cultural backgrounds, you can learn new cooking recipes
7. Share items like DVD's, CD's, clothes (but only if you are really cool with one another of course)
8. If you don't have a car and your roommate does, you can get free rides to places like school, work, the supermarket and the mall.
9. You can list your roommate as an emergency contact if you don't have family living close by
10. You and your roommate can celebrate the holidays together if both of your families live far away and/or traveling is not your the budget.  
11. Feel like being a homebody on a Friday or Saturday night?  Have movie night with your roommate.
12. Need information from important paperwork you left at home?  Your roommate can read it over the phone to you.
13. If you guys share the cost of groceries, you can take turns food shopping.
14. Take turns cooking dinner and doing the dishes
15. You can get an honest opinion about how you look before leaving your house for a night out on the town

Honestly, having a roommate is not that bad; especially if you find a female roommate who is ideal for you.  For one you are saving money, but if you happen to find a roommate you get along great with, you can make a friend for life.  That alone is the best benefit of all!

T. Bo

Beware of Roommate Scams

Protect Yourself From Roommate Scams When Searching For A Roommate On The Internet

If you are looking for a roommate and you placed ads on the internet on roommate listings, you might not at first recognize this type of scam that's surfacing the web. The type of scam I'm referring to are known as roommate scams.

How to Recognize a Roommate Scam

After you placed an ad on a roommate listing and gotten some replies from potential roomies, you might come across a reply to your ad that looks like this:

Hi,

I saw your ad and i'm looking to rent room or seek a roommate who is nice and honest. My name is Denise and i'm 29 yr. old broker currently living in London with my uncle. I am honest, trustworthy and caring individual who enjoys making good friends and having good time.

i plan to come to the united states to work at a new brokerage firm on an 8 month contract. I just want to confirm the rent, utilities and if there is any deposit. What's the amount to move in altogether. I can pay you 3 months rent and would like to move in right away. I will have my associate in the united states send you a cashiers check for 3 months payment. Deduct your part for the rent and send the rest back to me so I can purchase a plane ticket and pay for moving expenses.

Please forward me your full details where you want payment to be mailed 

Name

Address

city,zip

email

phone

bank you will be using

Thanks and i will be waiting for your details so I can proceed with payment!

regards,

Denise

THIS IS A SCAM!

There are similar roommate scams out there where people claim to be from Canada, UK, Nigeria, Australia, Sweden, etc. Ways to quickly spot a roommate scam goes as follows:

·The person is a foreign national

·There are usually a lot of grammatical errors and broken English in their writing

·They claim they are moving to the US for work, school or a modeling contract

·They usually only give their first name and if you reply with an email asking for their full name, address and email, they refuse to give it to you.

·They want to pay you in advance or send you their "final paycheck" from their current employer, asking you to deposit the check in your bank account as form of payment for the rent deposit.

·They want you to cash a check, money order or cashier's check in your bank account (usually 2-3 times more than the amount of the rent) and ask that you withdraw the portion that's needed to cover the rent.

For example, if the rent deposit is $1,500, they will say that they will send you a check for $4,500 and ask that you deduct the $1,500 from their check. They then will ask you to mail the rest of the money back to them ($3,000) either by Western Union or wire transfer so they can purchase a plane ticket and/or pay for moving expenses. The checks, money orders and cashier's checks are counterfeit! 

·They offer for "an associate" or "sponsor" they know in the US to send you a check, cashier's check or money order for you to deposit in your bank for the rent deposit (again the check, money order and cashier's checks are fake!)

·They request your personal information like full name, address, phone number, personal email account and bank where you will be depositing the checks. Sometimes they will insist on a particular bank for you to deposit their fake checks.

·Their emails make the assumption that you have chosen them to be your roommate and will ask you to remove your ad off the roommate listing.

·You receive similar emails that sound almost identical, but using different names and job occupations.

·If you request info from them like their current home address, scans/fax copies of their passport, visas and employer contracts, they will refuse to give you the information and make excuses why they can't.

·If you do communicate with these roommate scam artists through email or telephone (at first not knowing you are about to be scammed) and request a little more time to do research or explain you are interviewing other people, they will get nasty and impatient with you and barrage you with constant emails, IM and phone calls.

 

How The Scam Works

If you inadvertently communicate with these scam artists and accept a check, cashier's check or money order from them, once you deposit the check into your account and withdraw money , you "technically" are stealing from your bank.

How?

Remember, these checks are counterfeit! If you have only $500 in your bank account and you deposit a counterfeit check for $4,500, your account will state that you have a balance of $5,000.

If you withdraw $3,000 from your account and send it Western Union to these scam artists so they can pay for "moving expenses" or "air fare", (leaving $1,500 to cover the rent deposit) you have just illegally withdrawn money from your bank.

Your bank WILL contact you once they realize that the check you deposited is a fake and you WILL be held responsible for the $3,000 you "technically" stolen.

And by the way, the $1,500 that's left in your account will no longer be available to you because the check was a counterfeit.

Once you realize you have been a victim of a roommate scam, your next step is to contact the police and/or the FBI. However, understand that the $3,000 you sent to these scam artists is now gone.

Sorry!

Ways To Prevent Becoming A Victim

Want to know how you can prevent becoming a victim of a roommate scam? It's easy!

Learn how to recognize a roommate scam email.

Knowledge is power and there are tons of examples of scam emails on the internet for you to review. Research for yourself and learn how to recognize a roommate scam, or any internet scam for that matter, if you receive one.

Also, when answering emails on roommate listings, always be sure to verify as much information as you can. Ask questions and don't be shy about it.

Remember, you are looking for a roommate who is going to move into your house or apartment. You have every right to protect yourself. Trust your gut and listen to any red flags that may go up if you believe you received an email that appears to be a roommate scam.

Lastly, do not give out any personal information without first getting some information of your own. Not only could you become a victim of a roommate scam, but you could also become a victim of computer hacking where scammers can gain access to your personal computer.

Remember, be safe!

Good Luck!

How to Find a Female Roommate

Living expenses becoming too costly? Thinking about getting a roommate? Here are some easy tips to find the perfect female roommate for you!

Step 1

One of the easiest way to put the word out that you are looking for a female roommate is to tell your family, friends and co-workers. Chances are they may know someone who is looking a roommate too. Referrals from people you know makes searching for a roommate easier.

Step 2

Another way to find a female roommate is to place an ad on a roommate listing site. You may have to pay a small monthly fee, but there are some sites on the web where you can place an ad for free like Craigslist.

Just beware of roommate scams which you see a lot on these free sites, but don't be fooled. Paid sites attract roommate scammers too!

Step 3

If you are a student, go to the housing office at your school and ask to put your name on the housing list with a room available to rent. Females students who need a place to live prefer to room with other female roommates.

Step 4

If you work at a company and your office has a bulletin board, put up a roommate wanted flier stating that you are looking for a female roommate.

Step 5

Are you part of a social network like MySpace or Facebook? I'm sure if you post on your page that are looking for a female roommate, one of your friends, may have a friend, who has a friend who needs a roommate. That's the cool part about social networking.

Step 6

Place an ad in a penny saver newspaper in your local area. The cost of placing ads here are much cheaper than your regular daily newspaper. Headlines like "FEMALE ROOMMATE WANTED" or "LOOKING FOR A FEMALE ROOMMATE" will quickly weed out the male roommate hunters.

More Tips!

·   If you have a digital camera, take pictures of your place and upload them to your profile on roommate listing sites.

·   Mention special features about your place like washer and drier in your unit, pool, fireplace, etc.

·   Be clear in your ad for the kind of personality and characteristics you seek in a potential female roommate (i.e. non-smoke, loves pets, neat, etc).

·   Give as much information about yourself in your ads to attract your ideal female roommate (i.e. your age, smoker, loves heavy metal music, etc).

·  Try to meet as many people as you can in person that interest you. Connection is key.

·  If possible, get references and verify as much information as you can.

·  Be patient. The perfect female roommate is out there looking for you too!

·  Never specify in your online ads that you are looking for a roommate from a particular ethnic, cultural or religious background. It's illegal and it will get your ad deleted. Some roommate sites may even fine you.

    If you are seeking a particular preference, research the web for niche roommate listing sites and see what comes up.

·  Beware of email replies to your ad from people who claim to "be moving to the Unites States" for work, school or a modeling contract. These are roommate scams and can easily be spotted after receiving more than one email claiming the same scenario, but from different people.

·  Get as much information as you can from potential female roommates. If the person is reluctant to give you basic info like their name, address, phone number, etc., move on and delete their response.

·  Never put your home address in your ads. Only give out this information to people you are interested seeing your place and have verified information.