Vaughan HouseDenver metro area, Colorado

The Beech Court House · Golden, CO

Community Agreement

Every resident of The Beech Court House reads and signs this alongside their lease. It is deliberately plain. Nothing in it is a surprise, and none of it applies to residents but not to us.

Where this agreement and your signed lease differ, the lease governs. This agreement does not replace Colorado landlord-tenant law or reduce any right you have under it.

1. The spirit of this house

  1. This is a shared home, not a hotel and not a dormitory. It works because the people in it choose to be considerate without being asked twice.
  2. You are not required to be social. You are required to be decent. Meals, conversation, and time in the common rooms are always an open invitation and never an expectation.
  3. Our family runs this house out of Christian conviction about hospitality. No resident is asked to share those beliefs, attend anything, or discuss faith at all.
  4. Everyone is welcome here regardless of faith, background, or where they come from. Harassment or discrimination of any kind ends a tenancy.

2. Quiet and noise

  1. Quiet hours run from 10:00pm to 7:00am, seven days a week. Keep voices, music, television, and kitchen noise low during these hours.
  2. Outside quiet hours, use headphones for music and video in the common rooms unless everyone present agrees otherwise.
  3. Many residents work from home and take calls throughout the day. If a bedroom door is shut, assume a call is happening and knock only if it matters.
  4. The workspace is a quiet room. Take calls in your bedroom or the living room rather than at the shared desks.

3. Your room

  1. Your bedroom is yours alone for the term of your lease. No one else may use it, and we will not enter except for maintenance, inspection, or emergency.
  2. Except in an emergency, we give at least 24 hours' notice before entering your room, and we will always tell you why.
  3. Keep your room in reasonable condition. Normal wear is expected; damage, smoke, and pest problems are not.
  4. Do not change locks, drill into walls, or alter fixtures without asking us first. Small nails and adhesive hooks are fine.

4. Shared spaces

  1. Clean up after yourself the same day. Dishes go in the dishwasher, counters get wiped, and the table is left clear for the next person.
  2. Do not leave personal belongings in the common rooms overnight.
  3. Label your food. Anything unlabeled in the shared fridge may be cleared out on cleaning day.
  4. Shared supplies — dish soap, paper towels, cleaning products, toilet paper — are provided by us. Tell us when something runs low rather than doing without.
  5. The last person out of a room at night turns off the lights and locks the exterior doors.

5. Bathrooms and laundry

  1. Bathrooms are shared. Keep showers reasonable during weekday mornings, and leave the room clean and dry.
  2. Store your toiletries in your own basket or cabinet space rather than on shared surfaces.
  3. Move your laundry out promptly when the cycle ends. Clothes left in the machines may be moved to a basket by someone else.
  4. Do not run laundry or the dishwasher during quiet hours.

6. Guests

  1. Day guests are welcome. You are responsible for your guests' behavior and for anything they damage.
  2. Overnight guests are welcome for up to three consecutive nights, and no more than eight nights in a month. Give the house a heads-up in advance.
  3. Guests may not be left in the house alone, and may not be given the entry code.
  4. Anyone staying beyond these limits is living here, and needs to apply and sign a lease like everyone else.

7. Safety and security

  1. Keep the entry code private. It is changed between residents and any time we have reason to.
  2. Lock exterior doors whenever you are the last one out and every night.
  3. Do not disable, cover, or remove smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Tell us immediately if one chirps or fails.
  4. No candles, incense, indoor grills, space heaters, or open flames.
  5. Learn where the fire extinguishers and exits are during your first week.

8. Substances, smoking, and pets

  1. The house is smoke-free and vape-free indoors, including your bedroom. This includes cannabis in all forms.
  2. Alcohol is permitted for residents of legal age, in moderation, and never in a way that disturbs the house.
  3. Illegal drugs and any unlawful activity on the property end a tenancy immediately.
  4. Pets are by prior written arrangement only. Do not bring an animal home without asking first.

9. Parking and outdoors

  1. Parking is first-come and shared. Do not block the driveway, a neighbor's access, or the sidewalk.
  2. Keep the porch, patio, and yard tidy. Furniture stays where it belongs.
  3. We handle lawn care and snow removal, but clear the walk if you are the first one out after a storm and it is unsafe.
  4. Take your trash to the bin rather than leaving bags in the kitchen or garage.

10. Rent and payments

  1. Rent is due on the first of each month and covers everything listed as included in your lease.
  2. Your lease is for your bedroom alone. You are never responsible for a housemate's rent or their move-out date.
  3. Your security deposit is refundable, less the cost of any damage beyond normal wear, and is returned within the timeframe Colorado law requires.
  4. Tell us early if a payment is going to be late. A conversation in advance is always better than silence.

11. Maintenance

  1. Report anything broken as soon as you notice it, even if it seems minor and even if you caused it.
  2. Water leaks, electrical faults, gas smells, and lock failures are emergencies. Call us rather than sending a message.
  3. We will give notice before scheduled maintenance and keep it out of quiet hours wherever we can.
  4. Do not attempt repairs on appliances, plumbing, or electrical systems yourself.

12. Working things out

  1. Speak to the person directly and early. Most friction in a shared house is a misunderstanding that grew because nobody mentioned it.
  2. If that does not resolve it, bring it to us. We will listen to everyone involved before deciding anything.
  3. We will not take sides based on who has lived here longest.
  4. Repeated disregard for this agreement, after being spoken to, is grounds for ending a tenancy under the terms of your lease.

13. Moving out

  1. Give at least 30 days' written notice, in line with your lease.
  2. Leave the room empty, clean, and undamaged, with all keys and access items returned.
  3. We will walk the room with you if you would like, and tell you plainly about any deductions.
  4. Take everything with you. Anything left behind after move-out is treated as abandoned.

Signing

How this gets agreed

You will receive this document with your lease before move-in. We ask for a signature on both, and we keep a copy available to you at any time.

Questions about anything above are welcome before you sign — email evm.vaughan@gmail.com. If we ever revise this agreement, current residents get at least 30 days' notice in writing.

Apply for a roomBack to the house

Last updated August 2026. See also our house details.