Living with a roommate has a great many advantages, as long as you establish clear guidelines. There are many factors that contribute to a harmonious home, such as open communication, shared responsibilities, efficient financial management, roommate solidarity, maintenance of private and common spaces, and so on.
Would you like to have the experience of renting an apartment with friends in a residential tower in Montreal? Living with a roommate is not just about sharing costs; it also provides increased social opportunities, the possibility of sharing responsibilities and much more.
How to Ensure a Successful Roommate Experience in a Residential Tower in Montreal
Questions to Ask
To start with, whether with one or more friends or acquaintances, it’s good practice to establish some rules that will satisfy everyone, right from the beginning.
For example, open communication is useful to discuss cleaning duties in the apartment. Is everyone doing their part every week or are the tasks divided according to a rotating schedule?
You will also need to discuss how often guests are allowed in the flat. When are other friends welcome? How can you ensure that everyone can have visitors when they want to?
Another question also worth discussing is how to share the food in the fridge and pantry. Is everyone managing their own personal groceries or do you decide together what food to buy in the coming days and split the bill?
When it comes to laundry, is everyone responsible for washing their own clothes and keeping their room tidy?
These are a few key questions that deserve special attention. If you can agree on some guidelines right from the start, it’ll be much easier to ensure everything runs smoothly later.
The trick is to foster open communication with everyone from the outset.
Private and Common Spaces in the Apartment
Ideally, each person will have their own bedroom. This space belongs to them and they can make it a nice place to live. This means you can set up your living space as you wish.
Furthermore, common spaces like the bathroom, kitchen, and living room must also be pleasant places. Leaving a pile of dishes in the kitchen, taking very long showers, or leaving the living room messy can be irritants and become a source of tension among roommates.
For this purpose, a good agreement will be useful to think about common spaces and ensure that everyone does their part to maintain a pleasant living space.
Such an agreement will state, for example, that all roommates have a role to play in maintaining common spaces clean and tidy, if only out of respect for the other occupants.
Paying the Rent and Other Bills
Managing finances with roommates can quickly turn into a nightmare if there’s not a minimum of discipline.
Rent, bills, and subscriptions should always be paid on time. Each person can make Interac transfers to ensure the money is properly deposited and that the rent and all the bills are paid on the requested date.
Moreover, you can decide to set up a list of shared expenses, like toilet paper, laundry and dish soap, and other items, for example. You can display this list in plain sight to ensure expenses are shared fairly.
Accepting that Everyone is Different
We could certainly list the many ways roommates can be different, but it seems to us that everyone will find a way to live together harmoniously.
Your roommate might be an early bird, while you’re more of a night owl. If that’s the case, you’ll both have to find a balance and establish periods of time when each person turns the lights down, is careful not to make too much noise, and remembers that they’re living with other people.
In short, a successful roommate experience is not based on complicated things. This type of relationship is built over time by sharing moments and celebrating the successes of each person in a fun, playful setting.
Renting an Apartment in a Residential Tower in Montreal
If you’re a student and you’re looking for an apartment close to university, keep in mind that the Groupe Accueil International offers furnished and semi-furnished apartments in the heart of Montreal.
Take advantage of a pleasant living space, close to all services and public transit. Enjoy a stunning view of the mountain while moving into an apartment with roommates.
Make an appointment today. A dedicated rental team will answer all your questions and much more.
