So you’re looking for a potential roommate in the modern age? You might have logged on to a couple of apps to up your chances of finding your soul-room-mate. And now you need to get to know them before you tell them to make themselves at home. But you don’t know what to ask! You wonder if it’s going to get awkward. Should you serve wine and cheese or is it too early for that? You wonder whether a couple of beers would break the ice right. Whatever you’re thinking, we know when people are looking for roommates, they need to have a strong background check in place to make sure they let the right people in their home. So here’s a bunch of potential roommate questions you should ask before saying YES!
Also, most importantly, just be yourself and ask all questions important to your own well being. But also remember to answer the questions you ask, as and when they do to make it feel like a conversation. So that you don’t scare your potential roommate away!
1. What do your weekends look like?
This might seem like a silly question at first to ask a potential roommate. How could it possibly affect you whether they like to stay home or go out on the weekends, right? (Unless you’re an antisocial mouse of course.)
But well, this potential roommate question is important for people looking for roommates. If they have a large circle of friends that they host every weekend, your personal space could be affected, if that’s not something you like doing on the weekends.
On the other hand, if they happen to mention the exact same things you like to do, then you’d know you’ve found the one, potentially!
2. What do you do for work?
A bolder way to put this potential roommate question would be, can I be assured the rent will come on time? This one’s a major ask, so make sure you put it the best way possible.
Ask what they do for a living, and then put your detective hat on and head over to LinkedIn for a DIY background check. Trust us, this is absolutely paramount.
3. How have your past co living experiences been like?
Yes, people looking for roommates, it’s time to ask about the ‘ex.’ Just like a potential or current SO refusing to talk about their past is a major red flag, so is it with a potential roommate. Because if they’re cordial, and easy to live with, they’ll have a couple of good stories, and some funny ones, and maybe even some challenging ones to share.
But if all they talk about are bad experiences, or if they shy away from the question, it could be a potential red flag that you should definitely watch out for.
4. How would you describe your feelings towards cleaning?
Try and be as diplomatic as you can when you go for this potential roommate question. Maybe start with your own cleaning behavior, and be open about what it means to you. But make sure you have this discussion, so there’s no conflicts later about this very basic co living characteristic.
Not everyone will be a neat freak, and not everyone is a slob either. What you should be looking for is the sweet spot in the middle.
4. Ask your potential roommate any other question that hits close to home
The above questions are important for people looking for roommates, but the list can go on, depending on what matters to you when living with someone. So our suggestion is: Make a list of 10 things you hated about your ghost of roommates past and what you learned from those experiences. Then ask your potential roommate questions that could help you avoid those qualities you didn’t like about ex roommates.
5. What are you looking for in a potential roommate?
Once you’ve asked the major questions you wanted to ask, let them have a go at describing what they’re looking for too. After all, co living is a two way street! So listen carefully and try to really understand what they’re saying when they’re talking about their choice of potential roommates!
And now like any other interview, once you’ve had a good chat, let them break free from your questions. Ask them what else they’d like for you to know, or what they’d like to know about you.
And if you’ve stalked your potential roommate on the Internet, but are still looking for more concrete proof that your potential roommate is good enough to welcome home, Roomi offers background checks on your request as well!
We use a third-party vendor (National Public Data) to run background checks when instructed by people looking for roommates. For a full list of offenses checked by Roomi for your safety, check this link and leave the rest to us!
D’you know what else Roomi does outside of helping its readers make a list of potential roommate questions to ask? With our ever-increasing lists of rooms and roommates across the world, we help you find your perfect match! Download the app here and hop on the easiest ride home, ever!
