Gainesville Renting: "Bedroom" vs "Apartment"

Like we've said before, searching for your apartment in Gainesville is all about making trade-offs. Deciding to rent "by the bedroom" or "by the apartment" is no different. In Gainesville, you'll find that roughly half of our apartment communities fall into each category.

"By the Bedroom" or Individual Leases

You're on the hook for…

  • Your own monthly rent.
  • Upkeep of your room, bathroom, and common areas.
  • Pro: You're not responsible if your roommate flakes on the lease or is late with a payment.
  • Con: You pay a premium. Less risk for you means more risk for the apartment community. They simply embed that cost into your rent.

Cottage Grove Study Room

"By the Apartment" or Joint Leases

Everyone's rent.You're on the hook for…

  • The utility bills.
  • Upkeep of the entire apartment (including your roommates' rooms).
  • Pro: This is the least expensive way to rent an apartment.
  • Con: If your group of roommates ends up owning the landlord money for repairs or back rent, each of you will be responsible for paying the bill regardless of how you've been splitting the rent.


Search Apartments in Gainesville with Individual Leases




We're not housing attorneys, so please don't take this or anything else we've written as legal advice. We've just been around the block a few times, and we're giving you some general guidelines as a starting point. If you've got more questions, don't hesitate to ask the staff at the apartment community you're considering renting from… or see an attorney. If you're a student at UF,Student Legal Services is a great, free resource.

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