Friday, March 13, 2009

What to do when you've got to move.

The time has come to move. You've found the perfect job. You've found the perfect new place. The lease is up. You've gotta go! How do you break it to them?

  • Make sure you tell your roommate as soon as possible. You have already found the next big thing, but now they have to make an adjustment. The sooner you tell them the easier it will be for them.
  • No matter how bad of a roommate they are this is probably not the time to give them the laundry list. If it wasn't important enough to mention before it's probably not important enough to mention now, unless specifically asked. If they do ask about why you are ending your roommate relationship, be kind. In many cases, the roommate is simply oblivious to thing that bothers you. Try not to make an enemy for the last portion of your time together.
  • Discuss how your accounts will be closed or transferred. You need to discuss dates of termination or transfer and the dispensing of any deposits that you may have jointly. If you are not getting a deposit back discuss the reasons. If his dog chewed a hole in the wall and that is the sole reasoning for the deposit being denied, it's fair to request that he pay your portion back.
  • Make sure you give your new contact information to your roommate. There will be things that are forgotten or misplaced. Don't assume that your moving day is the last day you will ever see your roommate. Life has a funny way of putting us in contact with people we thought we were finished with. Try to end on good terms.
Note: I'll be moving to a new town in about six weeks! Be expecting more updates as I search for my new place. Next update will be about communicating with a potential new roommate and finding your new place in this world!

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