No matter how compatible you think you are with your roommate, there are going to be times when your aggravation level reaches critical mass and you have a fight. Before you even make the final decision when it comes to living with your roommate, you should have a conflict resolution system in place for exactly these types of situations. Let’s take a look at some things you can do to help resolve problems with your roommate.

Often times, a landlord or office manager will be more than happy to resolve any major issues with you and your roommate since it is easier to play mediator than it is to find new tenants every few weeks because people move out over fights. Of course, this arrangement can be abused if you aren’t careful; no landlord is going to want to referee fights every week, but if you have a serious problem and you need an unbiased third party, most landlords will be more than happy to help.

The same can be true if you have mutual friends, however, asking a mutual friend to help resolve a situation like this can lead to that friend no longer being friends with both of you. Make sure that all three parties understand that the ruling of the friend is binding and that there are inherent risks involved with this type of mediation.

Finally, if you feel like the dispute is unresolveable, consider ending the arrangement for good. No one needs to live in a stressful environment with someone they genuinely dislike.