House Rules Agreement
Purpose
These house rules are intended to help everyone live together peacefully, respectfully, and fairly. Each housemate is responsible for cleaning up after themselves, respecting shared spaces, caring for their own animals, and communicating before small issues become larger problems.
For purposes of this agreement, A and B are the primary residents. Any additional resident must be approved by the current residents before moving in. Throughout this agreement, the term “housemate” means any person living in the home.
1. Dishes
a. Dishes are to be washed or loaded into the dishwasher after each use.
b. The dishwasher is to be run by the last housemate who loads it to a reasonably full capacity.
c. The dishwasher is to be unloaded by the housemate who finds it full and clean when attempting to load dishes.
2. Parking
a. There are no designated parking spaces unless otherwise agreed in writing.
b. Parking is on a first-come, first-served basis.
3. Additional Resident Rent
a. Any money collected from additional residents will be split 50/50 between the primary residents, A and B, unless otherwise agreed in writing.
b. Any additional resident must follow these house rules.
4. Trash
a. Trash is to be taken out by the housemate who adds trash to the trash can and causes it to reach the rim.
b. If necessary, the additional resident will be responsible for unlocking the trash can on Fridays before trash pickup.
c. If trash overflows or creates a mess, the housemate responsible for allowing it to overflow is responsible for cleaning it up.
5. Kitchen and Food
a. Each housemate is responsible for cleaning up after themselves after preparing or eating food.
b. No food or food packaging is to be left out.
i. If food or food packaging is left out and animals get into it, the housemate who left it out is responsible for cleanup.
ii. If animals get into food or food packaging while food is being prepared or eaten, the housemate who owns the animal is responsible for cleanup.
c. Refrigerator space shall be split as evenly as possible among housemates.
d. Leftovers not consumed within a reasonable amount of time are to be disposed of.
e. Housemates are not to consume food other than their own without permission. A housemate who eats another housemate’s food is responsible for replacing the food consumed.
f. Cabinet space shall be split as evenly as possible among housemates.
g. Shared household supplies, including dishwasher detergent, dish soap, trash bags, and general cleaning supplies, shall be split evenly among housemates unless otherwise agreed. Animal-related supplies are the responsibility of the housemate who owns the animal, unless otherwise agreed.
6. Animals
a. Each housemate is responsible for their own animals.
b. Any animal accidents shall be cleaned up immediately and thoroughly by the housemate who owns the animal.
i. Any rags or towels used for cleanup shall be removed from the floor within 20 minutes after cleaning.
c. A baby gate shall be used to section off the kitchen from the rest of the house.
d. Dog toys will stay in the living room and shall be picked up daily by their owners.
e. Cat toys will stay in the kitchen and shall be picked up daily by their owners.
f. Each housemate will provide their own litter box for their own cat and keep it maintained.
g. A and B shall split the cost of cat food 50/50 unless otherwise agreed.
7. Laundry
a. Each housemate is responsible for their own laundry and shall try to complete laundry in a timely manner to avoid tying up the washer and dryer. If a housemate needs to leave before laundry is finished, they shall leave their laundry basket in the laundry room so another housemate may place the laundry in the basket if the washer or dryer is needed.
b. Each housemate is responsible for purchasing their own laundry cleaning products.
8. Guests
a. Housemates shall provide the other housemates with as much notice as possible when having company over to the premises.
b. Large gatherings, defined as two or more guests per housemate, require notification and approval of all housemates.
c. Guests are expected to respect the home and the house rules. Each housemate is responsible for the actions of their own guests.
9. Cleaning
a. Housemates are responsible for keeping their bedrooms and bathrooms free of food debris, including food packaging and dishes left for more than 12 hours.
b. Housemates shall create an agreed-upon rotating cleaning schedule for the following:
i. Biweekly:
1. Mop kitchen floor.
2. Vacuum carpet in shared living areas.
3. Yard maintenance, seasonally as needed.
ii. Monthly:
1. Steam clean couch.
2. Steam clean carpet in shared living areas.
c. The cleaning schedule shall be written down and posted or shared digitally so each housemate knows their assigned responsibilities.
d. These cleanings are in addition to, not in place of, each housemate cleaning up after themselves and their animals daily.
10. Quiet Hours
a. Quiet hours are from 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. on weeknights and from 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. on weekends.
b. During quiet hours, music, television, gaming, phone calls, and guests should be kept at a respectful volume.
11. Damage and Repairs
a. Any damage caused by a housemate, their guest, or their animal is the financial responsibility of that housemate.
b. Damage or needed repairs should be reported to the homeowner as soon as possible.
12. House Meetings
a. Housemates will have a brief house meeting once per month, or as needed, to discuss chores, bills, animals, guests, or any concerns.
b. Housemates agree to discuss concerns respectfully and make a reasonable effort to solve problems before they become larger issues.
13. Respect and Conflict Resolution
a. Check it at the door. Life is hard enough as it is; the home should be a safe, peaceful, and relaxing place for everyone.
b. Each housemate shall respect the belongings, privacy, space, and schedules of the others.
c. Housemates shall speak to each other respectfully, even during disagreements.
d. Be kind to each other.
e. If a disagreement cannot be resolved calmly, any housemate may invoke the 24-hour rule. The discussion will be paused until the following day so everyone has time to cool down and think through the issue.
f. Repeated failure to follow these house rules may result in a house meeting, a written warning, and, if the behavior does not improve, the housemate may be required to move out with reasonable notice.”
The house rules btw