<p>My son is considering living off-campus next year with three roommates. They will all sign the rental agreement for a year's lease. Any advice on drafting roommate agreements? What should be covered or anticipated? Thanks.</p>
<p>Paying the rent and other bills (utilities, Internet) on time.</p>
<p>Paying attention to security (locking the door at all times, not lending out keys, etc.)</p>
<p>Taking out the trash on a fairly regular basis.</p>
<p>Keeping the common areas, including the bathroom, reasonably clean. (What you do in your bedroom stays in your bedroom.)</p>
<p>If the apartment has only one bathroom, limiting the number of overnight guests. </p>
<p>Even if the apartment has two bathrooms, limiting the number of overnight guests who must sleep in the common areas (i.e., those who are cannot sleep in the host’s bedroom because they are neither a significant other nor a family member of the host). Sometimes people actually want to use the common areas, and they can’t do that if somebody is sleeping there.</p>
<p>Whether or not to allow alcohol-fueled parties on the premises. (One of my kids and her roommates decided against this because they didn’t want to risk the damage. They wanted their security deposits back. It worked. They got back every dime.)</p>
<p>Whether or not to allow illegal drugs on the premises.</p>
<p>What equipment/supplies each person can contribute (TV, DVD player, game system, extra furniture beyond what comes with the apartment, kitchen supplies, microwave oven, vacuum cleaner, etc.)</p>
<p>If one roommate owns a car, the extent to which that person is expected to use it for the benefit of the group (a weekly grocery store run might be reasonable; taking everyone’s guests home late at night every night might not be).</p>
<p>Whether or not to sublet the apartment or rooms within it for the summer, and if so, to whom. (One of my kids and her roommates sublet to someone they knew but would not have been comfortable subletting to a stranger.)</p>
<p>Based on my D’s experience, the agreement should specify when “quiet time” begins at night. But maybe that’s not such a big deal for guys.</p>
<p>Marian - wow, you’ve covered a lot. Thanks for taking the time to offer so much good information!</p>
<p>Sharing of cooking/food.</p>
<p>The mother of them all:</p>
<p>[Roommate</a> Agreement - The Big Bang Theory Wiki](<a href=“http://wiki.the-big-bang-theory.com/wiki/Roommate_Agreement]Roommate”>http://wiki.the-big-bang-theory.com/wiki/Roommate_Agreement)</p>
<p>latichever, my immediate thought upon seeing the title of the thread was TBBT. That must be the ultimate roommate agreement, but Marian’s ideas are really good!</p>
<p>So the OP’s son needs to make sure the apartment has a flag, never to be flown upside down unless the apartment is in distress.</p>
<p>And any fish acquired need to glow in the dark so they may be termed service animals … or nightlights.</p>
<p>I can help him with this. Glo-fish are very popular at the moment!</p>
<p>Something to discuss: overnight guests (esp the romantic/love interest kind)</p>
<p>Just read the Big Bang Theory link. Now, I have to start watching that show. :)</p>