Having roommates in your apartment can be a wonderful experience. These people keep you from getting bored. They also share the cost of renting the space and pay for the utilities that you would have had to bear if you are living all by yourself. However, living with somebody can be tough, especially if  they do not  have the same set of standards like you do. To save you from these trouble of living with bad roommates, Jumia House Ghana has compiled five things to look for when selecting  one:

1. One who Understands your values : You may have standard procedures of preferences as an individual like having some quiet time in the mornings, or preferring silence to loud noise or you are someone who is very private  and do not want  your space invaded most of the time. You will need a roommate who agrees to these terms and respects your preferences and values when you communicate them. Try to let the roommate know these beforehand. This will go a long way to avoid misunderstanding.
2. Takes Responsibility for their actions : The person should be responsible enough to take decisions that will keep you and your belongings safe even when you are absent. Imagine the trouble a roommate can cause by permitting people to borrow your items when you are not present or forgot to lock up when stepping out or refusing to pay his or her  bills when it was due. That will be irritating right? Well, that is why you have to make sure the person you are moving in with is responsible.
3. Should be Courteous: It is okay if you do not want to be best friends with your roommate, but you do not want to live with somebody who refuses to express simple courtesies. For example, someone who refuses to greet or share basic items with you. Sometimes, you will want to discuss something with them or make changes you do not like in the room and the person would simply not lend you their ears. This may sometimes be frustrating.
4. Do not have bad habits: It will not hurt to find out about the habits or lifestyle of the person you are moving in with. The person may have certain habits that you may not be comfortable with. It will be best if you conduct a quick search about the person. Thankfully, the internet can make it easy for you to perform a background investigation of the person before you allow them into your space.
5. Positive attitude towards Cleanliness: The roommate should have a positive attitude towards cleanliness- both personal hygiene and tidiness of the room or apartment. You  may not want to have somebody who will not clean after themselves or leave their running shoes around or simply do not stand for the same things you stand for.

What are your opinions on having roommates? Do you have one at the moment? How have you been coping? Share your opinions with us here or on Facebook and Twitter.

This post was put together by Samuel Tettey-Fio. Samuel is a third year student at Ghana Technology University College (GTUC) studying for a BSc. in Information Technology.