Guests and Overnight Visitors

Guest habits that help

From the guide’s own habits. Tick each one as you go. Your ticks stay on this device. These are examples; your home may need others.

• Let everyone know before a guest comes over, and especially before someone stays the night.
• Introduce your guest to anyone who is home, so no one is surprised.
• Make sure your guest knows the basics: quiet hours, which bathroom to use, and where things go.
• Clean up after your guest in shared spaces, the same as you would for yourself.
• Stay with your guest in shared spaces, and see them out when they leave.
• Be thoughtful about how often guests stay over, and check in with others now and then.

All done. Your home feels welcoming to visitors and comfortable for everyone who lives there.

Agreeing on guests up front

From the guide’s guest policies that work. Your ticks stay on this device. These are examples; your home may need others.

• Talk about guests before anyone moves in: how often, how long and how much notice.
• Write the guest plan into your roommate agreement so everyone remembers it the same way.
• Read the lease together for any guest limits, and make sure everyone understands them.
• Agree on who can have keys or codes, and how to change codes if needed.
• Talk about pets, parking and shared costs for visitors who come often.

All done. Everyone remembers the guest plan the same way.

When a guest causes concern

1. Take a breath. Most guest concerns are about surprise or comfort, not about the guest as a person.
2. If you ever feel unsafe, step away to a safe place and call 911. Safety always comes first.
3. For everyday concerns, talk privately with your housemate, not in front of the guest.
4. Share how it feels, like “I feel uneasy not knowing who will be here overnight.”
5. Agree together on a specific plan, such as a heads up text or a limit on overnight stays.
6. If it keeps happening, revisit your roommate agreement, and reach out to whoever manages the home if the lease is involved.

When you bring up a guest concern, start with something kind. “I really like your friend, and I wanted to talk about overnight stays” keeps everyone on the same side.

Handling longer stays

• If a guest begins staying often, talk kindly and early, before it becomes a bigger issue.
• Consider whether a frequent guest is adding to utilities or shared costs, and discuss a fair share.
• If someone wants to move in, follow the lease process to add them properly, in writing.
• Change door or alarm codes after a guest who had them stops visiting.
• Keep notes of any agreements or concerns in writing, with dates, in case they are needed later.

Guest, or living here? A guest usually visits for a short time and has a home of their own. When someone keeps belongings, gets mail or stays most nights, they may be treated as an occupant. Please talk with everyone and whoever manages the home before that happens.

Kindly try to avoid

• Please don’t share keys, door codes or alarm codes with guests unless everyone has agreed.
• Please don’t let a guest stay so often that they start living there without talking about it first.
• Please don’t let guests use another person’s room, food or belongings without asking.
• Please don’t leave a guest alone in the home if your housemates aren’t comfortable with it.

Guides that go well with this one

• Roommate Agreements
• Quiet Hours and Noise
• Finding a Roommate
• Splitting Rent and Utilities
• Keys, Locks and Lockouts