I dislike it mostly because I feel I’m too old to even have a roommate. And no, don’t ask me how old that might be. Thanks.
I dislike the word because it implies too much sharing, more than my room offer allows. I rent out a room in my residence in order to augment my income. The extra money allows me to survive in one of the nation’s most expensive economies. My name is on the lease, no one else’s. It’s also on all the utility bills as well as the bills for internet and television service (which currently I don’t have, being not much of a tv watcher). I paid all the deposits, too.
My experience has been that people who want to rent a room in someone else’s home are usually looking for temporary situations in addition to a way of saving money. Often they’re students at the local junior college, away from home for the first time, who haven’t had time or opportunity to establish their credit. Other times I’ve rented to people who were starting over in life – relocating to the area for new careers or getting back on their feet after divorces or other catastrophes. Again, people looking to save money whose credit may not be that great. People who appreciate the convenience of only having to pay monthly rent without all the obligation and responsibility of all the other ongoing expenses.
We don’t share just “a” room. We share several – the bathroom, kitchen, sometimes the living room, the garage and patio. However, I provide the washer and dryer, usually all the kitchen and cooking necessities and, on a couple of occasions, have even provided blankets and towels. Not everyone arrives fully equipped. I don’t mind as long as they don’t mind that what they might get isn’t brand new or all that terrific.
So, I dislike the word roommate even if it is the only word I’ve been able to come up with for the situation I offer. The people I rent to aren’t my tenants because I pay the rent to a landlord. They aren’t lodgers because this isn’t a hotel. Besides that I refuse to be anyone’s concierge. Still, the word roommate just doesn’t fit.
I’ll just have to keep thinking about it…
