One of the most frustrating parts of living in apartment with roommate is collecting rent and utility bills, especially if that person doesn’t pay them on time. However, if your roommate happens to have a job or an emergency that means that they will be away from home for an extended period of time, it can put you in a tough position. Here are a few things you can do if you live with a roommate that is never around.

First, sit down with your roommate and go over how bill collecting is going to be done. If you are the one who writes the checks or pays the bills over the Internet, you are going to need to collect cash or a check from your roommate. If he or she has a job that keeps them out of town, you can predict when they will be gone and you can make an extra effort to collect rent, cable, water, electricity and other bills before they go.

A bigger problem comes up when your roommate suddenly leaves with little to no notice due to a family emergency. If someone has just undergone a family tragedy, it can seem a bit rude to ask them for money before they leave, but if you can’t pay the bills yourself, you are going to have to, or, at the very least, you can contact them later and have them mail you a payment. It isn’t the best system, but it beats living in an apartment with no water or power until they get back.

One other solution is for your roommate to write you post dated checks that can’t be cashed or deposited until the date that is written on the check. This allows you to pay the bills you need to on time but doesn’t allow anyone to take advantage of anyone else.

If you could track the movement of people across the United States over the past 20 years, you would see that more and more people are moving to the Dallas MetroPlex each and every year. If you are new to town and you are moving in with a stranger as a roommate, you could likely benefit from some quality bonding experiences that will not only help you get to know your new roommate, but also make you life long friends. Here are a few good bonding ideas for when you move to Dallas.

Few other locations in the United States or the world love their sports teams more than Dallas apartments. With the Cowboys getting ready to move into the first one billion dollar stadium in the world, catching a football game in Dallas will be the greatest bonding experience two football fans can have. If football isn’t your speed, check out the always competitive Dallas Mavericks basketball team, the Dallas Stars hockey team or the Texas Rangers baseball team who play their games out in Arlington.

If you are new to the Dallas area but your roommate isn’t, you can use his or her knowledge of the city to your advantage. Most people who live in a beautiful spot like Dallas are proud to show it off to outsiders. You can go on a complete sightseeing tour of Dallas, including the beautifully restored historic district downtown. You can even make a full day of it by having breakfast at a popular Dallas diner and then later going to a popular Dallas restaurant for dinner. It can be your city orientation as well as your first roommate bonding experience all in one. Regardless of what you choose, Dallas is an amazing city just waiting for you to explore it, and with a friendly roommate in tow, you are sure to have an even better time.