It is the ultimate nightmare scenario for anyone living with a roommate in the apartment. You discover that he or she might be a criminal and you are afraid that you might get caught up in it somehow. It can be a terrifying and unnerving discovery but the last thing you need to do is to fly off the handle and confront your roommate in a fit of rage. Keep calm and keep these following steps in mind in case this ever happens to you.

First off, find someone you can talk to about your discovery and see what they think. It is always a good idea to get a second opinion on a volatile situation such as this. It is possible that they may see something you don’t and it could all turn out to be a misunderstanding.  If your friend feels the same way you do, the next step would be to visit your local police department.

If you still feel that your roommate is a criminal, it is a good idea to visit your local police department and ask to speak to a detective. Lay out all of the information you have and see what they have to say. Don’t bring any “evidence” with you to the police station. The last thing you want to do is to alert your roommate that you are suspecting them of anything. Tell the police about the evidence you’ve seen at home and they can decide if they want to come take a look themselves.

Once you’ve spoken to the police, the ball is really out of your court. They will inform you if there is a real problem here. If they don’t feel that there is, you still have the ability to move out if you want, but be careful what you tell people. By spreading a rumor that your ex-roommate is a criminal, you may be liable for slander if you were not able to prove anything.

We all have different ways in which we pick the roommate in the apartment,we are going to live with. Some of us meet someone through friends or we may find someone through an online community that we feel comfortable moving in with. Regardless of how you pick your roommate, there are a few basic things we all look for and one of them is that their personality matches yours. The Odd Couple may have been a funny movie and TV show, but in real life, living with a party animal when you aren’t one, can be a nerve racking experience. Here are a few things you can do.

First off, remember that you have just as much right to live there as your roommate does. You can set rules and make requests just like your roommate can, and you have the right to live in a comfortable, quiet environment. Ask your roommate to either cut down on the number of parties they throw, or, better yet, have your roommate find a new place to party, such as at a friends house or in a bar or club. If your roommate is worth keeping, he or she will understand your concerns and honor them without question.

If the problems continue, you are left with two choices. Have another talk, hoping that you simply didn’t make yourself clear the first time, or start the moving out process. It simply could be that you’ve moved in with someone who isn’t at the same stage of their life as you are and they may not be ready to settle down and take life seriously yet. If you are looking for a roommate online, make sure you specify in your ad what kind of roommate you are looking for. Compatibility is the key to having a successful roommate relationship.

A recent study of married couples showed that the biggest source of tension and fights isn’t money or sex, it is how household chores are divided. House work is a necessary job that can be back breaking, and since it doesn’t pay anything, it can be some of the least rewarding work we do on a regular basis. If you have found yourself in a situation where one person is making most of the messes and the other person is doing most of the cleaning, it can lead to serious problems. Here are a few things you can do to help divide up the chores more evenly.

When the two of you first move in together, you should set ground rules that cover things like chores. Each person should obviously be responsible for their own bedroom and bathroom, so the only areas you should have to divide up are the common areas. Most people have chores that they enjoy doing, or at the very least ones that they don’t mind doing, and ones that they can’t stand, so see if you can divide up the chores on that basis. If that doesn’t work, try taking turns. Have one person vacuum one time and then have your roommate vacuum the next time. The only problem here is that turns can get skipped, missed or each roommate can think they were the most recent person to do it and that can lead to fights.

It may sound juvenile, but if you are having problems dividing up chores, you might need to make a chart and put it on the refrigerator door. It may bring back memories of when you were a kid, but keeping track of chores so that turns are indisputable can be a great way to avoid conflict in the future.

While there are known problems with the idea of rooming with your best friend in the apartment, it is a common desire to have similar interests with your roommate so that living together is more fun than formal. Of course, bonding can be taken a bit too far at times so that lines of respect and privacy are unknowingly violated. Here are a few safe roommate bonding tips that can turn strangers into friends in no time flat.

Chances are, when you were searching for your roommate, you intentionally sought out someone you would have a few things in common with. It is those similar interests that are the root of your future bonding experience. It could be a concert that you both attend or a sporting event you watch together on television. Make your bonding experience a date that you can plan out. If you’re going out, you can have a bite to eat on the way, or if you’re staying home, you can order pizza and split the cost. The key to the bonding experience is the experience itself. Make it a memorable one and you and your roomie will be fast friends in no time.

If you and your roommate have moved into a brand new space and you have similar decorating taste, you can decorate the common areas together as a bonding experience, as well. Be careful with this one, however, as a decorating debate can often turn ugly and sour a roommate relationship before it has a chance to get off the ground.

If there is one thing that insurance companies are famous for, it is promising to cover you in certain cases and then doing everything they can to weasel their way out of having to give you a dime. While most renter’s insurance companies are known for being faithful to their customers, there could come a time when you have a dispute. While there is no magical handbook for winning an insurance dispute there are some things you can do to help strengthen your case.

First, be sure to meticulously document everything. Have photographs of everything you have insured in your home as well as original receipts if possible. Have copies of your contract and even consider storing a copy at a friends in case you have a fire. Once you have filed your claim, be sure to go and document everything at your apartment, whether it be break in damage, fire damage or anything else. The more hard evidence you have, the better off you will be.

Next, stay calm. This can be especially difficult since you have just gone through a traumatic incident and the last thing you need is an insurance adjuster telling you that your claim is denied. Most insurance companies have an appeal process that you can go through to help prove your case.

Finally, if you don’t know where else to turn, consider getting a free consultation with a lawyer. He or she can take a hard look at your policy and see what your legal rights are. It may be that the company you chose is being sued by other disgruntled customers and you may be able to join in on a class action suit. If you are positive that your claim should be granted, don’t give up without exploring all of your options.

If you have recently welcomed a new kitten into your home, congratulations, there are few things in life as rewarding as owning a pet. However, teaching your new family member where the cat box is can be difficult. Here are a few tried and true tips for cat box training.

First off, if you have an older cat already in the house, the chances that the kitten will pick up on what to do is greatly increased. On the flip side, there is a chance that your older cat may not appreciate having to share the cat box with a new kitten. Try getting a second cat box if you have room. You can always take it away later.

If your kitten is going outside of the box, make sure that there is enough litter in the box, that the box is as clean as possible and that the kitten can climb inside of it. Sometimes the walls can be a little high on some models and it can prevent your cat from getting inside.

You may have to lift your kitten up and put him or her in the box every few hours if you notice they haven’t used it in a while. This behaviour shows the kitten what the box is for and that it is okay to use it. Cats are a lot like kids. Sometimes they need repetitive behaviour that can teach them what to do.

Finally, if your kitten does start using the box, make sure you praise him or her to teach them that the behaviour is positive. You won’t keep this kind of positive reinforcement forever, but a little praise now can go a long way in the future. Kittens are smarter than you think and they want to please you, they just have to know how.

Sometimes, no matter how well you plan out your budget, things happen that blow everything out of the water. We all know that rent is due at the first of the month, but what happens when the money just isn’t there. Every lease out there has a different rule about when rent has to be paid by. Some of these clauses are influenced by state or local law so it is important that you understand clearly when rent has to be paid by and what the penalties are if you can’t meet the deadline. Here are a few other tips on how to handle late rent.

First, be in clear communication with your landlord or management company the moment you know that you won’t have rent in on time. Believe it or not, if you treat your landlord with respect and honesty, you have a much better chance of being treated in the same way. That’s not to say that your late fees will be automatically forgiven, but there is at least a chance that could happen if you are honest and up front about your situation.

Some leases allow you to pay rent as late as the third of the month without penalty while others absolutely require you to pay on the first. You don’t want to get into the habit of paying late, but if you know this clause exists you will be in better shape.

Finally, know exactly how much your landlord can legally charge you in late fees per day. If you think the amount is too high, talk to a renters rights representative in your area to find out. If you are renting from a big corporation, chances are they are playing by the rules, but if you are renting from an individual, they may hope that you don’t check to see if they are fleecing you or not.

If you are having issues with your landlord, the first instinct of most people is to hire a lawyer and head to court. In some cases, this is the correct first step, but there are a few things you need to take into consideration before you book a date in front of a judge.

First, make sure you have at least a basic understanding of what the tenancy laws are in your state or province. Just like how every state has their own rules when it comes to working, there are different rules for how tenants can sue landlords. If you haven’t had your dishwasher fixed in a month, you don’t really want to sue over something so small, but if your front door is damaged and it hasn’t been fixed in a reasonable amount of time, you may have a better case.

Next, find a lawyer who will talk to you without charging you anything. Most lawyers these days offer free consultations where they can either take your case or point you in the right direction. It may turn out that your state or province has arbitration for such cases, in which a lawyer is completely unnecessary.

It is important that you save everything you can in regards to your case. Every notice that has been sent by you to your landlord should be included in your evidence once you go to court. Create an easy to read time line of all of your issues so that the presiding judge understands everything you’ve been through.

Finally, you will want to have a clear understanding of how much the total cost of court proceedings are going to be before you start. In some jurisdictions, even small claims court cases can be costly so be sure you understand what you are up against first.

Pets can add untold joy to your life, especially if you live alone, but dealing with cat or dog hair can be a real pain. Other than stocking up on lint rollers, here are a few things you can do to keep pet hair under control.

First off, make sure you comb your pet on a regular basis. This won’t stop shedding, but it will help keep it a bit more under control. Many pets don’t enjoy the sensation of being combed, but they often learn to like it, so don’t give up if Fluffy or Fido balk every time they see you approach with comb in hand.

Second, if you have the money, invest in a high calibre vacuum. There are models made now by many companies that excel at getting pet hair out. These models can cost in excess of $500 which is out of the price range of most people, but it can make an amazing difference.

Along with having a top of the line vacuum, you need to be sure you are using it frequently. If you have time, try pushing it around at least twice a week to keep your carpet from getting too matted. If you have multiple cats in a small apartment, you may need to vacuum every other day to keep litter from building up in your carpet, as well.

Pet hair shows up best on black clothing, so try to limit the amount of black you own. You can also remember to dust on a regular basis, as well, since pet hair can build up on places like desks, televisions and on bureaus.

As a special treat, you could have your apartment professionally cleaned once or twice a year. This service is often far less than what people expect and the end result is beyond what most people expect. Having a clean apartment not only makes you happier, it makes Fluffy and Fido happy, too.

With the exception of moving, there are very few activities one can engage in that are more exhausting than apartment hunting. Once you leave the comfort of your computer chair and you are out pounding the pavement looking at suites, you can tire quickly, which is why being organized is so important. You should create a list of questions that are of the upmost importance so you can rattle them off when you finally see a place. Here are just a handful of must-ask questions for every apartment hunter.

It is too bad that apartment ads aren’t uniform in nature. Some ads may answer every major question you have while others don’t seem to tell you a thing. For many, the first question asked is about pets. Some buildings will advertise that they don’t allow pets, but once you strike up a conversation with the landlord, you may learn that a cat is fine, but a dog isn’t. Whatever you do, don’t try to sneak a pet into an apartment. It is a quick way to get evicted.

Next, find out about laundry. Is there in-suite laundry or is there on-site laundry or do you have to take your things to a Laundromat? If there is on-site facilities, do they take a card or do you need coins? How secure is the facility? If you have your own washer and dryer, do they work properly? Have they needed repair anytime recently? Be sure to ask these questions in a polite tone, you don’t want to come off like you are accusing anyone of anything.

You also need to ask about other basics, such as if heat and hot water are included in the price of rent, when the quiet hours of the building start and what kind of decorating you are entitled to do. It pays to sit down and make a list of what is important to you before you head out to see your first apartment.