there are a couple of threads about stuff LIKE this, but this is a bit different, so i figured it could have its own thread

so a friend might be end up living with my girlfriend and i, and i'm trying to decide whether or not to make her sign a contract...really, it protects both of us in case i'm a horrible landlord or she decides to bail on rent, but at the same time, i guess i could always just kick her out without notice if there's no contract (if, for some reason that i really don't think is likely, she ends up being hellacious in some way)

i'd probably just download and print out the standard wake county contract and use that, since it seems to cover everything i care about

4/16/2008 4:15:45 PM

Quote :

"it protects both of us in case i'm a horrible landlord or she decides to bail on rent"

always have a contract

4/16/2008 4:20:37 PM

for a friend you know you could probably get away with letting this happen and it won't really be a big deal. I mean, if she's your friend, how is a piece of paper going to change the way you act towards each other? Probably not much.

For a roommate you don't know, you find over the internet, etc, I say contracts are necessary, but a good friend more or less your call. Talk to them and see what they say. They might actually feel better having a lease/contract that way they are secure living there (you can't just kick them out for no reason). you should be able to work something cool out.

4/16/2008 4:21:17 PM

I had a good friend from high school move in with me.
It was supposed to be for two weeks. It turned into 6 months.
I still get debt collectors calling me looking for said person.

Contracts are a good thing.

4/16/2008 4:24:01 PM

contract

4/16/2008 4:27:21 PM

contract

4/16/2008 4:31:32 PM

contractual obligation to do a 3-way with you and the gf twice a month.

4/16/2008 4:36:21 PM

always, always, ALWAYS...get it in writing

4/16/2008 4:46:24 PM

yeah, no one should be offended if a contract is brought up. do that shit up!

I see how it's a little awkward to bring it up, but it truly isnt a big deal.

4/16/2008 4:47:53 PM

normally i would have made a friend sign a contract but my current roommate...

- was my good friends from high school's big brother
- a family friend
- known the guy for 12 years
- had a job making 40k (known income)
- & has always been moral conscious as long as i have known him

so reluctantly i did not make a big deal about signing contracts.

4/16/2008 5:06:38 PM

Contract.
Obviously there's the just in case someone fucks up, however, there are some other good reasons.
Since you're going to be living WITH the person, not just as a landlord, it would probably be wise to get all the expectations laid out on paper. Even among friends it's not that you dont trust them, but it's better that everyone know what is expected. Spoken from an apartment viewpoint but most is applicable to a house.

Things like:
1. what portion of what bills they are to pay.
2. when you need their rent portion - is there a penalty to be late? How many times is there no penalty if you're forgiving that way?
3. Even if the hoa/complex allows pets, do you? What pets are okay? what pets are not?
4. Smoking indoors/outdoors/not at all?
5. What charges if there are any when they move out they are responsible for? (even split? charge to the person who did the damage? what about cleaning fees?)
6. What happens if they need to move out/break said contract? Since you are acting as landlord this is a good policy, as even if where you are you are renting and there is a policy, that doesn't apply to them unless they are on the lease. Additionally what are responsibilities on move out? (cleaning is normally one)
7. clearly lay out who they may or may not give spare keys to or if you need to be notified.

It may also be good to have a sepreate contract or section regarding common chores/duties/responsibilities, that you dont want to tolerate. Our house doesn't and we really really should have (3 people splitting an apartment)

But examples of rules we have that would go into such a thing:

Like, Parties need to end by xyz (normally has to be quiet by 3 am at hour house unless it's a holiday/special occasion).

If someone is out of town, the remaining parties are expected to take care of the pets, and will be reimbursed for anything they have to spend.

Don't get super picky or detailed, but briefly covering the big ones are probably worth while.

If you really want to save yourself hell, divide out the chores. Probably not a contract formally but some kind of agreement should be reached beforehand. Give and take, but have one.

[Edited on April 16, 2008 at 6:17 PM. Reason : .]

4/16/2008 6:15:19 PM

Contract, just to make sure that you agree on the terms. Don't want someone moving in and then realizing they don't want to pay for 1/3 the cable bill because the don't watch TV, but you were expecting it when you said utilities and agreed on a price. Or because it's you and your GF they expect you to buy all the food and consumables or something. Just a few issues that are non-issues when agreed upon beforehand but can cause resentment when they don't work out like you expect them to.

4/16/2008 6:33:05 PM

You would have to be an idiot not to get a contact.

4/16/2008 6:35:38 PM

Quote :

"yeah, no one should be offended if a contract is brought up. do that shit up! I see how it's a little awkward to bring it up, but it truly isnt a big deal."

says the guy who never made adam8778 or I sign a contract

4/16/2008 6:42:43 PM

word is bond

if i can't hold my guys to that, i probably don't need to be under the same roof as them

4/16/2008 7:06:19 PM

^ but it's NOT a guy, and we all know how women are

4/16/2008 7:13:50 PM

Quote :

"CONTRACT SMART MOVE"

4/16/2008 8:27:57 PM

Watch any daytime court show. You always get a contract no matter if it is your mother.

4/16/2008 11:11:16 PM

contract ... i learned the hard way. one of my best friends owes me about 750$ ... never heard from him since

4/16/2008 11:13:38 PM

I dont think you need an official form. I would type something up in word, month to month, with the basic conditions and expectations from both sides (official forms can be intimidating). This is what I have done at my house. Things to think about are security deposit (if needed), clean up upon leaving, notice to leave (30 days is standard both ways - that way you both have a way out if it doesnt work).

4/17/2008 8:35:00 AM

My 2 cents:

If you made a thread asking then you seem to have doubts of how well this will turn out. Therefore, I say contract.

4/17/2008 9:04:05 AM

I'd recommend a contract although I haven't practiced what I preach and I've been fine so far. I would suggest specifying 30 days notice or less to leave. If they're miserable you don't want to keep them there any longer than necessary.

4/17/2008 9:32:09 AM

^With that, they can leave if they are miserable, they are just required to pay the rent for an extra month.

4/17/2008 9:34:18 AM

Amongst friends that really shouldn't be necessary. I recommend specifying 30 days notice, but you really should let them go whenever if you want to remain friends. Charging them for time they weren't there just because you have a contract would be burning bridges.

4/17/2008 9:42:04 AM

True, but if they totally piss you off, or burn the bridge themselves, then you get money out of it.

If neither of those are the case, then they could probably stay the thirty days after notice.

4/17/2008 9:45:39 AM

Quote :

"Amongst friends that really shouldn't be necessary. I recommend specifying 30 days notice, but you really should let them go whenever if you want to remain friends. Charging them for time they weren't there just because you have a contract would be burning bridges."

yeah, you would think that...except that now my "friend" who just got a job out of state starting may 1st thinks he shouldn't have to pay rent for our remaining month at an apartment complex we both signed our names on the lease for...he cites our "friendship" as the reason that i should just understand that money's going to be tight next month and he doesn't think it's "fair" to pay rent in two different places

at 25, is it unreasonable for me to think that people should be adults? i wonder if his parents ever told him life wasn't fair...wah wah wah...he was a mediocre friend at best, and i think i'd rather have his money than his friendship, truth be told

4/17/2008 10:11:31 AM

My brother has two "friends" that owe him hundreds each.
One is seriously trying and making payments, the other hasn't really been heard from since he went to work one day and never came back. He left most of his stuff and even his dog at their house. My brother's name was the only one on the lease.

I finally collected $450 from a friend of mine after 2 months.

4/17/2008 10:25:21 AM

Quote :

"yeah, you would think that...except that now my "friend" who just got a job out of state starting may 1st thinks he shouldn't have to pay rent for our remaining month at an apartment complex we both signed our names on the lease for...he cites our "friendship" as the reason that i should just understand that money's going to be tight next month and he doesn't think it's "fair" to pay rent in two different places at 25, is it unreasonable for me to think that people should be adults? i wonder if his parents ever told him life wasn't fair...wah wah wah...he was a mediocre friend at best, and i think i'd rather have his money than his friendship, truth be told"

That's pretty sad. Do you want me to have a talk with him?

4/17/2008 10:27:27 AM

i don't expect this girl to cause problems (we've known each other for years), but this other "friend" i've known for over a decade, but only as an acquaintance...i'm debating suing him (or at least threatening) if he doesn't pay up because 1.) the law is 100% on my side, and 2.) he'd have to pay court costs as the loser...i can't stress how little i care if i burn the bridge

4/17/2008 10:28:31 AM

the sad fact is that most people suck and were not raised with any kind of accountability.

I have been burned twice. one of them, I finally collected after he realized he needed to get into the house to get his tax refund check that was mailed there. the second owes me $500 and skipped out 5 months ago. even with the contract, I will probably never see the money because I dont know where he is to serve him with court papers.

[Edited on April 17, 2008 at 2:44 PM. Reason : . ]

4/17/2008 2:43:05 PM

^ that sucks

4/17/2008 3:05:43 PM

do a regular written contract, just don't be a douche and it should be cool

4/17/2008 3:13:41 PM

Quote :

"You would have to be an idiot not to get a contact."

4/17/2008 3:18:27 PM

contract.

i know a few people that have had trouble collecting money from roommates who decided they didn't use the cable enough to warrant paying for it

4/17/2008 3:45:03 PM

wow, this is crazy. I have two friends living with me and I would never think of asking them to sign a contract. I guess if it's a friend you don't trust, sure, but damn, I'd feel like a total douche bag asking my friends to sign a fucking contract.

4/17/2008 3:51:01 PM

wait until you get burned.

most people dont care about how their actions effect others.

4/17/2008 3:52:38 PM

absolutely a contract

and its not just about protecting yourself from getting burned (cause as a few people have mentioned they DID have a contract and still got burned because the pain in the ass of dealing with suing someone often ends up far outweighing the actual amount that you would get). its more so about what LadyWolff was talking about. both of you coming together with clear expectations about living together.

i've actually been on the other end of this (moved in with someone without a contract) and i have to say, looking back, i would have prefered to have had the contract.

i would go ahead and draw up a sample contract, and send it to the person in advance. then sit down together and go over it. maybe she will have some changes that she would like to be made. again, this is about setting clear expectations that everyone will be happy to live by.

also 30 days notice is definitely resonable and i think would be appreciated all the way around

4/17/2008 5:00:44 PM

Quote :

"contractual obligation to do a 3-way with you and the gf twice a month."

4/17/2008 5:22:09 PM