Test run with a new roommate

If you’re in the process of welcoming a new roommate into your place and space, it may have occurred to you that you’d really like to take this roommate for a test run before they sign on as a co-payer of your monthly rent. Perhaps you’re worried about how compatible the two of you may be, or you just don’t know them very well.

Here are a few ideas about how you can quickly get to know your potential roommate quickly and make a decision about whether or not the two of you would be a good fit.

-First, talk to their friends. With the references that you’ve asked them to provide as financial vouchsafes, ask them to include one or two personal friends who will be able to comment on what they’re like as a person, not just a check-writing robot. Ask the friends some tough questions: “Does Jeff ever get angry? Is he a clean person? Do you know if he pays his bills?” It’s totally reasonable for you to vet the new roommate and have a thorough idea of who they are before they move in.

-Friend them on Facebook – and check out their timeline. Yes, this is a little bit of a stalker maneuver. But it’s one that could save you a world of heartache down the line. Facebook is a pretty good way to determine whether someone is normal, how social they are, what they like to do for fun and how they spend their time. It won’t tell you whether they are financially responsible or willing to clean up the kitchen after they’ve made a mess, but it could tell you a lot of other things.

-Hang out with them. It’s perhaps a bit unusual, but not unheard of, to take a potential roommate to dinner and spend a few hours really getting to know them better. If you enjoy their company, it’s possible that the two of you could in fact be very compatible roommates, even if a few little things don’t go well later on. If you have nothing in common and you can hardly wait to escape from their presence, maybe living together isn’t such a great idea after all.

What’s one question you always make sure to ask a new roommate before they move in?

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