Guidelines Even with careful planning, and even more likely without, roommate conflicts will arise. Deal with conflicts as soon as possible. It will save everyone time in the long run Encourage roommates to talk face to face, rather than through notes or e-mail. At the meeting, it is ideal to have everyone agree upon ground rules before beginning to discuss the conflict. Ask for clarification Summarize the issues whenever possible Formulate a problem statement that everyone can agree upon Help both sides generate possible solutions Allow the roommates to choose their own solution Re-state the solution, and get a commitment Assist roommates in creating a roommate contract, if they need or want 1one Roommate Contracts Roommate Contracts are formalized agreements between roommates and can be tailored to fit any conflict.
Contracts can be short, long, complicated or simple.
It all depends on the nature of the conflict and the people involved. Here are some tips for making good Roommate Contracts. Use neutral language, and do not blame Are very specific about dates, times etc. Jane also will ask before borrowing anything from Julie in the future. Julie agrees to speak directly to Jane before discussing roommate issues with other members of the hallway.