Signing a Roommate Pre-nup
You're just graduating from college. You and your new roommate are moving into your first off-campus apartment. Now you can just kick back, relax, and enjoy the real world. Right? Wrong! The real world walks hand in hand with real responsibility. Just as there are new freedoms and new opportunities, there are also new things to consider.
One thing that's incredibly helpful, but generally overlooked, is knowing how to lay some ground rules with your new roommate.So you're thinking "Hey! I'm moving in with my best friend since 1st grade! We've never had any problems getting along. We'll have a great time!" Well, maybe so... but you can never predict what might happen once you start sharing everything from the same kitchen to the same bath tub. Maybe your great friend won't seem so great after she's "forgotten" to pay the rent for the past three months. If you merely talked about who would pay what when, and didn't write it down, you're legally up a creek.
Verbal agreements are worthless. Just watch an episode of Judge Judy. Before you end up in small claims court, you need to make sure you have an agreement in writing so that everyone understands what his or her responsibilities are supposed to be, even if he or she chooses not to live up to them.You want to make the move from campus to the real life as smooth as possible, and one step towards smoothness is to check out Janet Portman and Marcia Stewart's book: Quick & Legal: Renters' Rights, Nolo Press. Not only does it have great tips on dealing with roommates, but it also "gives the bottom line on your rights as a renter, including your rights to privacy, a livable home, the proper use of your security deposit and fair, nondiscriminatory treatment from your landlord."Here is what the authors suggest you put together in a written contract before you move in with your lifelong friend: The contract should discuss:
- RENT: Who is going to pay it, and how much are they going to pay?
- SPACE: Who gets to stay in which room?
- CLEANING: Is there going to be a set schedule? Who's responsible for which duty?
- FOOD: Are you sharing, or do you each have your own sections of the refrigerator?
- GUESTS: Is it okay to have boyfriends/girlfriends stay the night? How many times a week?
- NOISE: What time is "quiet time"?
- MOVING OUT: If one roommate decides to move out... how much notice should they give the other(s)?
- SPATS: How will you handle disagreements? If it doesn't work out, who has to leave?
Example:"Hey, Before we move in I think we should have a written agreement laying out some ground rules." (Smile.)"What? You don't trust me? WRITTEN AGREEMENT?? I can't believe this! Isn't my word good enough for you? Forget it, I'm not moving in. You'll have to get another roommate because I'm never talking to you again!" (slams the door on the way out. )Hopefully, your new roommate won't go this ballistic, but to avoid the possibility, stress that this contract is all about equality. Reassure your roommate that the agreement protects her just as much as it protects you. You and your roommate(s) should contribute equally to both creating the agreement, and also following through with the rules.So if you're planning on moving in with a roommate, understand you're going to have plenty to worry about - from who buys the small stuff like dish washing detergent and toilet paper to which one of you is going to shell out for the vacuum cleaner.
So, save yourself some stress, pick up Quick & Legal: Renters' Rights, and avoid many of the roommate issues before they become a case for Judge Judy..
Since 1989 Dan The Roommate Man has helped 1000's of people find roommates. Need help? Contact him at 800-487-8050 or www.roommateexpress.cominfo@roommateexpress.comBefore You Move
It's said that Rome wasn't built in a day. Many strokes topple mighty oaks. You can eat an elephant a bite at at time. If you are facing a move, old axioms like these can offer some encouragement, but how about some practical advice? What you really need are step-by-step tips that will help you chip away at the daunting task of packing, moving and settling in.Courtesy of NorthAmerican Van Lines, here is a checklist of things to do to prepare to move:Two-Three Weeks * Fill and transfer prescriptions for family and pets. Pack them to travel with you.
* Arrange for shipment of plants and pets. Get immunization records for pets. * Dispose of or give away all flammables.One Week * Defrost refrigerator and freezer, plus allow thorough air-drying to prevent mildew. Dispose of persishables. * Transfer checking and savings accounts.
* Drain fuel and oil from lawnmowers and other power equipment. Drain water hoses. * Pack items to be carried in the car, and label "Do Not Move." ...
Before You Move
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How Do You Benefit From A Registry Cleaner
These days, more and more computer users are using registry cleaner software to keep the registry clean and to keep their computers in good health. Computers are the information highway of the 21st century, and most households in the United States use computers for various reasons. The more you use your computer, more information gets stored in its registry. The benefit of a registry cleaner is that it helps ?slim' down the registry by removing the unnecessary data thereby making your computer run faster. The registry of your computer is the section where all applications create entries for temporary data, and these entries are never deleted by on their own.
The more data your computer processes, the more bloated your registry gets, often slowing down your computer.
It is necessary that you use a window registry cleaner, periodically, to remove all the unnecessary data in the registry. Over time the invalid entries, resulting from uninstalling or incorrectly removing...
Vacuum cleaners > How Do You Benefit From A Registry Cleaner
How to Remove Carpet Spots
There all kinds of accidents that can happen when you have carpet. Carpet is extremely usual in the majority of homes, making the risk for accidents higher than ever. Regardless of what the spill may be - mud, blood, or milk ? there are techniques to clean everything.
There are more than a few products that you can choose that will work wonderful. The only trouble with these products is the fact that they are usually incredibly imprecise with how you should make use of them.
If you have a red stain on your carpet, you should not try to remove it yourself, but instead hire a professional. There are specific procedures and exceptionally successful methods that your carpet cleaning company can employ to save you from destroying your carpet.
Bear in mind that red is the toughest stain to remove.
A professional carpet cleaner is properly trained and equipped to deal with them.
For everything else, there are effective and inexpensive...
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