My friends are in a conflict trying to live together. Money has already been exchanged and no lease has been signed yet. The owner of the house (my friend's mom) was supposed to have left already but she's still there and is very controlling from what I hear. I've learned a lot from their experiences. 

The lease should be signed before you've even moved in and should be read carefully. Everyone should sign the lease. Rent should be paid in something like a money order (comes with a receipt). House rules should be set before move-in so there's no confusion. Rules should be established about privacy and what is or is not appropriate. That's all I have, I think it's pretty useful information.