1. How often do you receive guests?

Often overlooked, guests and overnight guests can drive you crazy. At the very least, be sure to put some restrictions on overnight guests. Otherwise, you may end up having two roommates for the price of one.

2. How loud are you, in general?

If you’re trying to sleep and have a roommate slamming doors and playing loud music late at night, you’re going to be miserable. The best advice is to get a quiet roommate. If not, at least have some agreement regarding quiet hours.

3. How often do you wash your clothes?

Laundry is not only noisy, but it can be expensive if you do it every day. Not to mention all the extra clothes you’ll see left in the dryer for someone else to empty. There must be some kind of agreement made in advance, regarding the use and hours of the laundry.

4. How would you rate yourself on cleanliness?

Ask about dishes, the stove, the refrigerator, spilled items, pet hair, etc. Cleaning up what others dirty will get old very quickly.

5. How long do you plan to be here?

If someone is looking for something really short term, remember that soon they will be back looking for another roommate and the cost of the vacancy will increase.

6. How often do you cook?

This is another overlooked question. Some people insist on cooking every night, and there’s a chance they’ll clutter up the kitchen, smell the house with food, and probably leave dishes and utensils everywhere, all while increasing your gas bill.

7. How many things (junk) do you have?

If this question is overlooked, you may end up with someone filling your house and garage with items, until you run out of space. The better option is for them to rent a storage space instead of bringing their entire junkyard home.

8. Are you willing to take out the trash and help with other chores?

It is best to fix this situation as soon as possible. Imagine a trash can that isn’t emptied, or cans that aren’t brought to the curb. You may end up doing all of this yourself unless you have an agreement in place.

9. How stable is your job?

The worst situation to avoid is someone who doesn’t have a steady job, or even a car to get to work. They’ll end up not paying rent, and then you’ll have a serious problem on your hands.

10. How punctual are you with monthly payments?

Believe it or not, almost every roommate will fall behind on their rent at some point. Some will usually pay late, and this is what you want to avoid. Let them know that you are expecting it on or before the 1st, and that you don’t like having to ask for it. Also, be sure to collect first and last month’s rent up front, and maybe a $200 refundable deposit in case of damage.