Cohabitation agreements are a simple agreement made for people who decide to live together whether in a house, apartment or even dormitory. As these agreements are geared toward young adults who move out and co-habitat with one or more persons, they can be adjusted to anyone’s needs.
Avoid Disputes
cohabitation agreements are more about avoiding disputes than resolving disputes. The need for clear understandings becomes self-evident once you move-in with others and you find out they may have a different understanding, life-style or decide to get into a relationship that didn’t exist prior. Many times, people understand clearly but the interpretation is different. Common disputes arise from how to handle commonly misunderstood issues or unresolved problems.
Rent and Utilities
Many people have paid rent or mortgages for years but some do not understand the importance or the urgency. Once you’re co-habituating with someone, you’re at their mercy for timely payment. It is common, as time moves on, people become lacks on deadlines. This puts stress on the relationship with the landlord, bank and everyone else. This can cause the cancellation of a leased space, increase in rents, late fees, service charges, etc.
Landlords and banks have limited patients when it comes to getting paid as they have many people relying on them for payment. The best way to look at rent: If you have a job and you are to be paid on time wouldn’t you be upset if you were not paid on time.??
Daily Chores
People end up getting disheartened as the daily grind goes on and on. You mowed the yard and you need to do it again, dishes pile up every day and the floor will not sweep its self. These chores after a long day’s work is not what you want to do but living in a pig sty may not be the answer. Smelling your roommate, walking over their clothes or cleaning their dishes everyday may put a serious strain on peaceful co-habitation.
Having a written, clear understanding of who is responsible for what and when helps co-habitats remember what they must do and what bounds they must keep.
When people move in-together, there is a basic breaking in period where you learn what each of you like and dislike. But things change.!! Work cuts your hours or adds over time, school lays on a huge project or life gets tough.
Pets and Freinds
How would you like to come home and find out there are three new people living with you or now there is a 10 foot pet snake.? This is the start of many roommate fights.
Everyone should know what they can do, what they must ask permission for and what is unacceptable. Sounds simple but many times people take it upon themselves to do what makes them happy without the consideration of how others may feel.
When you live in a co-habitation everyone has the right to come and go and bring their friends with them, to a point. Set boundaries where everyone establishes basic rules, times, limits, etc. to better the overall environment. There is NEVER a problems till there is a problem.
There are many things of concern which many people do not think about until a dispute arises. Young adults have not had the hard life lessons that come with age and those who have learned know how quickly things can get out control. One day you have a place to live, that night your stuff is on the front lawn and it’s raining.
Don’t put your future, finances, school, work and life on the line when you move in with someone or they move in with you. Cohabitation agreements are inexpensive, easy to read, simple to implement and a great protection.
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