• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Legal Templates

Legal Templates
  • Business Forms
    Business & Contracts

    All of our legal contracts and documents are drafted and regularly updated by attorneys licensed in their respective jurisdictions, paralegals, or subject matter experts. Save your hard-earned money and time with Legal Templates.

    Top Business Forms
    Business Formation
    • Business Plan
    • LLC Operating Agreement
    • Articles of Incorporation
    • Corporate Bylaws
    • Buy-Sell Agreement
    Business Operations
    • Business Contract
    • Partnership Agreement
    • Non-Disclosure Agreement
    • Release of Liability
    • Letter of Intent
    Sales and Payments
    • Purchase Agreement
    • Sales Agreement
    • Invoice
    • Purchase Order
    • Business Purchase
    Employment and HR
    • Employment Contract
    • Employment Offer
    • Employment Verification
    • Freelance Contract
    • Non-Compete Agreement
    View All Business Forms
  • Real Estate Forms
    Real Estate

    All of our legal contracts and documents are drafted and regularly updated by attorneys licensed in their respective jurisdictions, paralegals, or subject matter experts. Save your hard-earned money and time with Legal Templates.

    Top Real Estate Forms
    Landlords
    • Lease Agreement
    • Property Management
    • Eviction Notice
    • Late Rent Notice
    • Lease Termination
    Tenants
    • Room Rental
    • Sublease Agreement
    • Roommate Agreement
    • Notice to Vacate
    • Early Lease Termination
    Home Ownership
    • Real Estate Purchase Agreement
    • Mortgage Deed
    • Quitclaim Deed
    • Deed of Trust
    • Moving Checklist
    View all Real Estate Forms
  • Personal & Family Forms
    Personal and Family

    All of our legal contracts and documents are drafted and regularly updated by attorneys licensed in their respective jurisdictions, paralegals, or subject matter experts. Save your hard-earned money and time with Legal Templates.

    Top Personal and Family Forms
    Estate Planning
    • Power of Attorney
    • Last Will & Testament
    • Living Will
    • Advance Directive
    • DNR Form
    Personal Finance
    • Bill of Sale
    • Loan Agreement
    • Purchase Agreement
    • Promissory Note
    • Sales Agreement
    Family Matters
    • Parenting Plan
    • Child Travel Consent
    • Divorce Agreement
    • Separation Agreement
    • Prenuptial Agreement
    Affidavits
    • General Affidavit
    • Gift Affidavit
    • Affidavit of Identity
    • Affidavit of Residence
    • Affidavit of Death
    View All Personal Forms
  • Support
    Resources
    • Business
    • Real Estate
    • Personal and Family
    • Financial
    • Estate Planning
    Support
    • About Us
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
    • All Legal Documents

    Monday - Friday | 9AM - 7PM EDT

    (855) 335-9779

  • Sign In
  • :email

Home Real Estate Documents Roommate Agreement

Free Roommate Agreement

Use our Roommate Agreement template to specify the rent and responsibilities of people who live together.

Updated January 18, 2023 | Legally reviewed by Susan Chai, Esq.

A Roommate Agreement is a contract between tenants living in the same home that outlines shared expenses and house rules.

Unlike a lease agreement, there is no landlord involved in a roommate agreement. By signing a roommate agreement, tenants agree to abide by the rules and pay their rent, utilities, and other expenses on time.

Table of Contents
  • What is a Roommate Agreement?
  • Why Do I Need a Roommate Agreement?
  • Steps to Create a Roommate Agreement
  • How to Write a Roommate Agreement
  • Roommate Agreement Sample

Supplemental Forms

If roommates want to move out and sublet their rooms, they can talk to other housemates about using a sublease agreement for a new roommate.

What is a Roommate Agreement?

A roommate agreement is a legally binding document that roommates can use to enforce financial obligations (like if another roommate doesn’t pay rent).

But, it is less likely that roommates can legally enforce the other aspects of the agreement (such as chores).

Try approaching a roommate situation to go the extra mile to make sure everything is clear, and remember — house rules can be as strict or flexible as you want them to be.

What Should a Roommate Agreement Include?

You should include the following in your roommate agreement:

Expense breakdown

Every roommate agreement needs a breakdown of each tenant’s contribution toward shared expenses, including rent, security deposit, utilities, and shared supplies/groceries.

Shared and private rooms

Indicate which parts of the house are common areas and which rooms are private to one or more tenants.

Guests and parties

Roommates should unanimously decide what situations having guests over needs prior approval from other roommates. Set limits on how frequently roommates can have visitors and set guidelines for parties and larger groups of guests.

Pets

If your lease allows, consider whether you are okay with having a pet in the house, even if none of your housemates currently have plans to get one.

Specify in writing what will happen if the pet owner is out of town or the pet causes any damage to the property.

Chores

Roommates should all contribute to regular maintenance and deep cleaning for shared areas like the kitchen, bathroom, and living space. We recommend creating a rotating schedule for daily, weekly, and monthly chores.

Quiet hours

Communicating each tenant’s schedule is good so roommates can be respectful of each other’s rest or study routines.

Designate quiet hours (for example, between 12 AM and 7 AM) where roommates agree to make little to no noise.

Early move-out

One of the biggest concerns of sharing a lease with roommates is what will happen if a roommate moves out before the lease ends.

Generally, if roommates move out early, they are still required to pay their portion of the rent. But, some leases allow a tenant to sublet their room or find someone to take over their spot on the lease.

Include any guidelines for early move-out in your roommate agreement, so tenants know what options they have if their situation requires them to move out early.

Sharing/borrowing items

To prevent one of the most common disagreements among roommates, ensure everyone is on the same page about if/when it is acceptable to borrow another tenant’s belongings.

Also, consider how these rules apply to shared items like cooking supplies.

Any other house rules agreed upon by roommates

It is impossible to prepare for every situation. Still, you might want to think through potential argument-starters like the ideal temperature for the house, shared parking space, or shower times.

If necessary, write down any extra stipulations after all roommates agree.

You may encounter disagreements over situations not covered in your roommate agreement, so be prepared to add to the house rules in the future.

Example Roommate Agreement

Why Do I Need a Roommate Agreement?

Roommate agreements prevent disagreements among housemates, whether renters move in with strangers or close friends.

Many universities require students living on campus to fill out a dorm roommate agreement. In the beginning, getting a set of roommate rules on paper goes a long way in preventing disputes and keeping roommate relationships amicable.

TIP

Creating a written roommate agreement may feel unnecessary if you move in with friends. But, conflicts often arise because each person has unspoken expectations for how the roommates should do things.

 

Steps to Create a Roommate Agreement

Writing a good roommate agreement is essential in preventing conflict among roommates.

Step 1: Download a free roommate agreement template

Fill it out through our document builder or download the free PDF/DOC forms and have each house member fill in their information.

Alternatively, use our easy document builder to get step-by-step assistance in creating your roommate agreement.

Step 2: Sit down with roommates and discuss house rules

Using the template as a guide, discuss the terms of your roommate agreement with your housemates. Do not rush through, especially if there is an issue your roommates disagree on.

It is better to pause and return to the agreement later than to hastily set a rule that not all roommates are happy about.

Step 3: Complete and sign the document

Once housemates have agreed to all terms, sign and date the document together.

Make sure you discuss how to communicate about issues in the future. And remember, you can always revise the contract with another written agreement if needed.

How to Write a Roommate Agreement

Before you fill out your roommate agreement, note the state you are contracting in.

state

Step 1 – Write the Effective Date and Roommate Names

1. Effective Date of Agreement. Provide the effective date of the roommate agreement.

2. Roommate Names. Fill in the full name of each roommate in the residence.

effective date

Step 2 – Enter Purpose Details

3. Property Address. Write the street (physical) address of the property being shared. Include any unit or apartment number, if applicable.

4. Term Length. This is the term or length of the lease for the property the roommates are sharing. Provide the lease’s start date, either the end date (if a standard fixed-term lease) or language that states the lease continues on a month-to-month basis.

5. Landlord Name and Date of Agreement. Enter the landlord’s full name and the date of the lease agreement that the landlord entered into with one of the roommates.

purpose

Step 3 – Describe Rent Details

6. Roommate Name and Amount of Rent. Fill in the full name of each roommate and the amount of rent the roommate is responsible for.

7. Rent Due Date. State the day the rent is due (i.e., the 5th day of the month).

8. Common Areas. Select the common areas (shared living space) each roommate can access. You can write in any other areas, not on the list.

rent

Step 4 – Note Security Deposit Details

9. Roommate Name and Security Deposit Amount. Provide the full name of each roommate and the amount of security deposit that the roommate is responsible for.

security deposit

Step 5 – Select Utilities

10. Shared Utilities. Choose the utilities that the roommates will equally share. You can write any other utilities not on the list. Also, you may include additional details regarding the division of payment (e.g. Jane Smith will solely be responsible for paying for electricity).

utilities

Step 6 – Enter Condition and Maintenance Details

11. Maintenance Responsibilities. Select the cleaning and maintenance items the roommates will share responsibility for. You can write any other items not on the list.

12. Maintenance Schedule. Provide the schedule that the roommates will follow for cleaning and maintaining the shared living space (e.g. weekly basis, on Saturdays, alternate between roommates every other week).

maintenance

Step 7 – Choose Pet Option

13. Pets. Specify whether or not the roommates may have pets on the property.

pets

Step 8 – Pick the Smoking Option

14. Smoking. Choose whether or not smoking is prohibited on the premises or allowed with the consent of other roommates.

smoking

Step 9 – Choose Alcohol Option

15. Alcohol. State whether or not roommates may consume and store alcohol on the property.

alcohol

Step 10 – Specify Firearms Policy

16. Firearms. Choose whether or not roommates may possess firearms on the property.

firearms

Step 11 – Address Personal Property

17. Personal Property. Check this box if roommates agree not to borrow personal property from any other roommate without approval.

personal property

Step 12 – Enter Quiet Hours

18. Quiet Hours. Note whether or not you want to include quiet hours. If yes, provide the start and end times and the days of the week.

quiet hours

Step 13 – Fill in Guests and Parties Details

19. Guests and Parties. Specify whether or not you want to restrict each roommate to one overnight guest at a time unless all other roommates agree. Also, you can choose the maximum number of nights a guest may stay per week without permission from all other roommates. Specify the number of guests allowed at a party before a roommate needs approval from the other roommates.

guests

Step 14 – Address Mediation

20. Mediation. State whether or not you want to include a provision on dispute resolution. If yes, the roommates agree to resolve disputes through mediation first.

mediation

Step 15 – Note Governing Law

21. State Law. Fill in the state’s laws that will govern the construction of the roommate agreement.

governing law

Step 16 – Write Additional Provisions

22. Additional Provisions. You can write any additional provisions here (e.g., use of storage or parking space).

additional provisions

Roommate Agreement Sample

This Roommate Agreement template has been updated for 2023.

Roommate Agreement Samples

sample image of a roommate agreement with lease

Roommate Agreement with Lease

Use this roommate agreement when housemates will be signing the original lease.

PDF Word
sample image of a roommate agreement without lease

Roommate Agreement without Lease

Use this roommate agreement when housemates will not be signing the original lease.

PDF Word

Related Tenants Documents

  • Rental Application: A rental application is a document landlords use to screen prospective tenants.
  • Rental Inspection Checklist: A rental inspection checklist documents the condition of your rental unit, and keeps the status of each room organized.
  • Pet Addendum to a Lease Agreement: By signing a written Pet Addendum, the Landlord gives permission for the Tenant to have a pet in their home.
  • Smoking Lease Addendum: A Smoking Lease Addendum is an additional document added to an existing lease or rental agreement.
sample image of a roommate agreement Preview PDF

Free Roommate Agreement Form

Create Your Roommate Agreement in Minutes!

Legal Documents

  • All Legal Forms
  • Business Forms
  • Real Estate Forms
  • Personal and Family Forms

Popular Forms

  • Lease Agreements
  • Power of Attorney Forms
  • Eviction Notice
  • Living Will
  • Non-Disclosure Agreement

Resources

  • Legal Resources
  • Business
  • Real Estate
  • Personal & Family
  • Estate Planning
  • Financial
  • Covid-19 Resources

Company

  • Pricing
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Partner With Us
  • Legal Dictionary

Users

  • Account
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
McAfee - Together is power.
Trustpilot
BBB Accredited Business

(855) 335-9779, Monday-Friday, 9AM - 7PM EDT

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

Copyright 2023 Legal Templates LLC. Legal Templates LLC is not a lawyer, or a law firm and does not engage in the practice of law. Legal Templates cannot and does not provide legal advice or legal representation. All information, software and services provided on the site are for informational purposes and self-help only and are not intended to be a substitute for a lawyer or professional legal advice. Use of this site is subject to our Terms of Use. Legaltemplates.net is owned and operated by Resume Technologies Limited, London with offices in London United Kingdom.”

Esc

Free Roommate Agreement

sample image of a roommate agreement

The document above is a sample. Please note that the language you see here may change depending on your answers to the document questionnaire.

Fill in the details

Thank you for downloading one of our free legal templates!

Would you leave us a review?

We hope you've found what you need and are able to avoid the time, costs, and stress associated with dealing with a lawyer.

A review would mean the world to us (it only takes about 15 seconds).

Please check your download folder for MS Word or open tabs for PDF so you can access your FREE Legal Template Sample

Thanks again, and good luck!

Leave My Review