5 Signs That You Need a New Roommate

By Alicia Geigel

Living on your own versus living with roommates takes a great deal of compromise and patience. Sometimes things are smooth sailing in your roommate situation, and on the other hand, things can be difficult and frustrating. If you are living with a roommate and are unsure about your living situation, here are five signs you might need to make the push to get a new roommate.

1. Personal Boundaries Are Never Respected: When living with someone, it’s not only important but also necessary to respect the other person’s personal boundaries. What does this look like? Respecting personal boundaries can apply to a number of different situations, and not doing so can be borrowing clothes without asking, using toiletries like shampoo or toothpaste without asking, barging in your room at random times, or eating food that you bought for yourself. If you and your roommate communicate that certain items can be shared or used that is one thing, but if your roommate assumes that it’s a free-for-all and everything that is yours, is theirs- it’s time to perhaps start looking for a new roommate.

2. All the Chores Fall On You: No one enjoys doing chores all the time, though they are necessary to maintain a clean and functional living space. Living with a roommate, it should only be right to split the chores among the two of you the way that both of you see fit. If your roommate is grossed out by the bathroom, you take over to clean while they can vacuum and mop the floors. However, if you are the one constantly picking up after your roommate, washing the pile of dishes in the sink, and cleaning your home from top to bottom, that’s not fair. It’s all about balance!

3. Rent Is Always Late: Sometimes people fall into difficult financial situations- life isn’t always fair or gentle and it can be easy to fall into a bad spot. Unfortunately, life doesn’t wait for anyone and while it is tough to be in a bad financial spot, rent does still need to be paid. If your roommate is behind on bills or unable to pay rent, it can put you in a bad situation as well. Make sure to keep bills organized and determine from the get-go how bills will be split each month and who will take care of making surer they are paid on time. If your roommate is not upholding their responsibilities when it comes to their portion of the rent and utilities, though it may be tough to make the decision to leave, it will be better for your wallet and your renter’s record in the long run.

4. Tension and Fighting Are Constant: This sign may be obvious, but nonetheless, it is important to recognize. Though we all have our differences, it should go without saying that these differences should be respected. While you and your roommate might not be 100% compatible, there should still be mutual respect and a general sense of kindness in your home. If there is terrible tension in your space, such as the very sight of your roommate sends you into a spiral of anxiety, or it comes to a point where you don’t feel comfortable in your own home, it’s time to find a new roommate. Sometimes living situations don’t work out, but that doesn’t mean that you have to suffer in the meantime. When things get bad, get out.

5. Unwanted Guests are Always Over: Again, this can tie into the first sign (respecting personal boundaries) but goes a little bit further, since it applies to who is coming in and out of your home, and when specifically. Part of the excitement of having a place of your own is having people over whenever you want. This is great but starts to go sour when your roommate takes this freedom and runs with it. If your roommate is inviting people over at all hours of the day, on weekdays when you have to study or do work, on weekends when you want the place to yourself, or when you clearly communicate days or times that you don’t want people over and they still don’t listen, it’s a sign to make the switch to a new roommate.

Going from living by yourself to living with roommates can be a large adjustment and can at times, prove to be difficult. If you are in a stressful or unhappy living situation with your roommate, pay attention to these signs and remember to always put yourself first!