Roommate Interviews - Which Questions Should You Ask To Find The Perfect Roommate

Have you ever been unsure about which question to ask next when interviewing roommates? If you have, you're not alone. It just means you understand the importance of asking the right questions, which is the key to finding the roommate that is perfect for you.

The questions that you need to ask at your roommate interview will depend on your own individual situation. The objective of each question is to help you decide if the person you are interviewing is the right roommate for you.

So, which questions should you ask? As you need to ask questions that are specific to your own situation, you should start by holding your own brainstorming session. This session lets you find out what is important to you when living with a roommate and helps you decide which information you would like to learn about potential roommates during the interview. Once you have gathered your thoughts, you can put together a list of questions that will help you finding this information. Your questions should cover the areas of:

Accommodation on offer
Rent and Expenses
Lease
Living habits
Personality traits of roommates
Special rules and/or arrangements
Past roommate arrangements/experiences
These broad topic areas can be narrowed down into specific questions that can help you find out more about your potential roommates.

Here are some sample questions:

Which expenses make up the rent? How often does the rent increase?
Who is responsible for the lease?
Have you lived with roommates before? Why are you looking to move?
Do you like to entertain and have friends over?
What are your three worst habits?
What are your preferred food and shopping habits?
Do you smoke or drink?
What type of roommate are you looking for?
Are there any special household rules?
How much notice would you need to give before you could move in?

It's important to put this list of questions together before your interview. Planning your questions before talking to potential roommates lets you organize your thoughts. This will help you formulate any additional questions during the interview if you feel you aren't getting the information you need from the questions you have prepared.

There's no need to worry about asking the wrong questions as long as you are getting the information you need to know to make the right decision. Just follow these simple steps and you too will find out which questions to ask during your next roommate interview.

Good Luck and Happy Roommate Hunting!

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About the Author:

Enid Steiner is a Director of http://www.flatwithme.com.au, an Australian online roommate service. For more questions you can ask during your roommate interview log onto http://www.flatwithme.com.au/questionnaire.html.