11 Questions to Ask a Potential Roommate

Choosing a roommate is a lot like choosing a significant other. You need to find someone who you’re compatible with and, ideally, someone whose lifestyle and values align with yours. You also need to find someone who you can have mutual respect with—you’re going to be spending a lot of time together, after all. Finding that person starts with asking the right questions. The ideal questions to ask a potential roommate are those that give you insight into who a person is and how they prefer to live. And it’s about more than just seeing if you get along (there’s a good reason that great friends don’t always make great roommates).

If you’re on the hunt for that perfect roommate, be sure you do your due diligence in making sure you find a good match. Here are 11 questions to ask a potential roommate so that you can get a better idea about whether living together is a good idea.

What do you do for a living?

Do you get along with your previous roommates?

What’s the most you can spend on rent?

How often do you do your dishes?

Are you in a relationship? And if so, will your partner be sleeping over regularly?

Do you smoke or do drugs?

Do you have any pets or plans to get a pet?

Are you an early bird or a night owl?

What’s your policy on guests?

What’s your ideal roommate situation like?

How do you like to spend your weekends?

The best questions to ask a potential roommate are questions that get to the core of compatibility. It’s hard to tell whether you’re going to be long-term friends with someone until you’ve spent some time together, but you can do your part to find out whether any of the common sources of roommate complaints are going to be present from the get-go. Prepare to answer these questions yourself, as well, and to be honest in how you respond. There are a lot of potential roommates out there, and it’s better to cut your losses with one than to sign on to live with someone who might not be a good match for you.