By Eric Willden · RoomRentalsHQ

House Rules Every Room Rental Needs, and the Stories Behind Them

Almost every rule in my lease has a story behind it. Here are the rules, and then the stories.

Key house rules

• No smoking or vaping, drugs or pets.
• No parties or social gatherings.
• Limited alcohol in your own room is OK. No public intoxication.
• Quiet hours 10p–8a. Laundry 8a–10p. No cooking after 9p.
• Shoes off. Stay clothed in common areas. Eat in the kitchen or dining area only.
• Clean your room at least twice a month.
• Overnight guests up to 3 nights a month, never back-to-back, approved in advance.
• 1 vehicle, legally parked and insured. Stay off the yard.
• No subleasing and no posting video of the property.

Lease terms

A 3-month minimum (6 is better), then month-to-month. The first 30 days are a probation period, so either side can end it with short notice if it's a bad fit. I added that after a bad tenant.

The stories

The camera tamperer → a $500 tampering fine. A tenant kept unplugging the common-area cameras. Now there's a fine in the lease. (Cameras go in common areas only, never in rooms or bathrooms.)

The shirtless guy in the kitchen → "Stay clothed in all common areas." It's a shared house. Nobody wants to make breakfast next to that.

The tenant who came home drunk → "No public intoxication." He came home drunk and got way too friendly with my wife. That's also why my lease has a line about respecting the landlord's family. Tip: if your family is around the house, set friendly boundaries with tenants up front.

The vaper who lied → always do a live phone call. He swore he didn't vape, then went in and out to his car all day long. Now I hear every prospect say it on the phone.

The guest who never left → the 3-night guest limit. When one tenant's partner is always there, the whole house gets uneasy. The cap keeps the house comfortable for the people who actually live there. If a guest starts staying more, I joke that they should start paying rent.

Have a local attorney review your lease. Late fees, notice periods and other rules vary by state.