Having roommates has many benefits, and sharing expenses is just the beginning! Living with others is often a meaningful experience for students. A roommate can be a friendly face to return home to after class.
Here are some tips and resources that will help you make the most of living with a roommate, and help avoid any potential conflict:
Find potential roommates with the Roommate Finder (for U of T students only).
The Roommate Finder allows U of T students to post a roommate profile and view profiles of other students who share your interests, habits and housing needs. You can find students who are also searching for a place to live, as well as those who have a unit and are looking to fill a spare bedroom. This can be one of the fastest ways to find housing! Log in using your UTORid.
Find the right roommate with the Roommate Compatibility Checklist (PDF).
We believe that the core of good roommate relationships is lifestyle similarities and willingness to offer respect where you differ. Use this Roommate Compatibility Checklist to assess whether someone you are considering living with is a good fit. You don’t need to be a perfect match (few people are) but it’s worth discussing how you will handle extreme differences.
Sign a Roommate Agreement (PDF).
Once you decide to move in with someone, it’s important to establish some “house rules” that you both agree to abide by. Use this Roommate Agreement as a starting point for discussions around cleanliness (the #1 topic roommates argue over), guests, noise, shared belongings and more. Doing this early can prevent stress later!
Know your conflict resolution resources.
Conflict is a natural part of living with others, and can even be a healthy catalyst for positive change. If a conversation or disagreement with a roommate feels difficult to manage, TNG Community Services provides free and confidential conflict coaching resources that can help you develop and apply effective communication and conflict resolution skills.
Sign up for our Tenant Topic: Renting With Roommates workshop.
Delivered by law students and a supervising lawyer from Downtown Legal Services (DLS), this workshop explains your legal responsibilities when renting with others. You’ll learn about the differences between a joint lease and a tenancy in common, along with an overview of the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) and how it applies if you live with roommates.
Registration is required. Register using the Folio links* on this page.
*The Folio link is only accessible to people who are eligible to register for the Tenant Topic program. This program is open to University of Toronto undergraduate and graduate students.
Try out the interactive web tool.
This interactive web tool was produced by Community Legal Education Ontario (CLEO) to help people in different kinds of shared rental arrangements find out which laws apply to their situation and what their rights and responsibilities are.
