Room Rentals: Proper Etiquette for Renting a Room in a House

Many people, especially single people and college graduates, are deciding to rent rooms to save money each month instead of renting an entire apartment. Whereas an apartment can cost you upwards of $700 or $800 a month, plus utilities, renting a room can cost you $400 or $500 a month, including utilities. So for some people, renting a room is a no-brainer.

But there is some etiquette you have to follow when renting a room in someone else's house.

Bathroom Time

Being that you are going to be sharing this house with other people, presumably the owner's of the house, you need to be considerate of their needs. This is especially true when to comes to the bathroom.

When you're going to rent a room in someone's house, long gone are the days of half hour showers and bubble baths. You have to get in and out of the bathroom. In the morning, you should keep your bathroom time to ten minutes or less. 15 minutes is pushing it. It's just like when you lived at your parent's house or in your college dorm. Everybody is competing for bathroom time because they need to get to work or school on time. Do your lotioning, hair combing, and other small duties in your room.

No PDA in the Common Rooms

If you have a girlfriend or boyfriend, you have to enjoy their company in the privacy of your room. Watching television or eating out in the living room or dining room with your company is a big no no. The owner's of the house, and other renters don't want to come home to find you and your girlfriend doing some heavy petting on the couch where they sometimes sit. Take all of your romantic rendezvous to your room. In fact, many people who decide to rent a room in someone's home won't even spend time in the common rooms at all.

Eat Your Own Food

Finally, one of the most important things you need to remember when you are renting a room is that you have to keep your food separate and labeled, and never, under any circumstances, should you ever eat other people's food without their permission. And yes, that includes pats of butter and pinches of salt. When you rent a room, you have to buy your own food supplies, down to the aluminum foil and ketchup.

If you choose to rent a room, be sure that you follow these important rules to assure that you and the other occupants of the house can co-exist comfortably.