It is a good idea to share an apartment with others. This can help in sharing the cost and also build new connections. York University housing in Toronto provides you the option to choose the roommate. If you are planning to stay with the room partner, here are certain things which you can consider while choosing the roommate.
Type of connection
You must first understand the kind of connection you want to build with your roommate. Should it be friendly? Do you want to introduce him or her to your group of friends? It may happen that you are new to Canada and you want the roommate who knows the city well. You may want that the person lets you meet with his or her circle. Thus, you must decide whether you want just a room partner or someone who is your good friend. You can stay independently without connecting much with the roommate. The only thing you both have common is bills and rents. So, it is better to clarify things before finalizing a roommate.
Understanding the lifestyle or habits
It is impossible to find a roommate without knowing the person and his or her habits. Thus, know the roommate well before sharing the apartment. Ask about the person’s hobbies, food preferences, habits like taking drugs or alcohol, sleeping habits, Sleeping habits and work timings. You can also find out whether he or she is bringing a pet with them. It may happen that your lifestyle would not match your roommate’s. But still you need to check the compatibility with whom you are sharing the residence. It will help you in adjusting well in advance.
Discuss the cleanliness aspect
For every person the definition of cleanliness is different. There are people who feel sweeping the room everyday is a must whereas others just find it comfortable doing vacuum. Some may want to keep the bathroom dirt free and no dirty dishes in the sink. Hence, before agreeing , you must be on the same page with your roommate on the cleaning aspect.
Assessing the financial responsibilities
You must ask the roommate all sorts of questions which can also include the financial aspect. It is asking about how much responsibility can your roommate take with regards to expenses of the home. You need to ask it in a tactful manner so that the person does not feel bad. You can check their body language in case they are feeling uncomfortable answering your questions. Are they okay to discuss money related matters with you? The roommate should be such that he or she can take some portion of financial burden while sharing the apartment.
Discuss about inviting guests
Before finalizing, make it clear with the potential roommate about how he or she is planning to entertain guests. Who all are allowed and for how long? You both may want to have friends at your place so discuss accordingly.
Dealing with conflicts
While staying together, you both may face challenges. It may be on various topics like not doing the responsibilities assigned, bringing wrong house guests or any other reason. There is technique to resolve any conflict and you must check the behavior of your roommate when he or she is annoyed. How has the person dealt with conflict in the past? It will help in dealing with future issues. Thus, check the past experiences of the roommate to resolve future conflicts.
Check referrals
After you have found the right roommate, do check once about the person’s profile through the references. You can ask the landlord or the past roommates for the same. Another option is going through social media accounts and gathering the information. You can have an informal meet too for knowing each other well.
