Use LawDepot’s Roommate Agreement template to create a custom document in minutes. Simply follow these steps, and you’ll have a contract that covers all your bases and protects all parties. Your agreement can be as short or as comprehensive as you need it to be.
Remember to include all roommates in the creation of the document and inform your landlord of the agreement — especially if it changes the number of people living on the property.
1. Provide an overview of the property, parties, and lease
Provide the full address of the property. If it is leased, note who the landlord is and when the Lease Agreement starts and ends.
Include the full names of all roommates living at the property. You can include as many roommates as you need (as long as you comply with any Lease Agreement).
2. State important rental terms
Next, determine when your Roommate Agreement will end. You can end it at the same time as the Residential Lease Agreement or at a fixed time. Alternatively, you can choose to automatically renew the agreement yearly, monthly, or weekly.
Include the rent details, if applicable. State when the roommates are required to pay rent. You can also specify whether one roommate is in charge of collecting, paying, and keeping records of rent payments.
3. Divide rent, utilities, and costs
If utilities and household costs aren’t covered in the rent, you’ll need to note which expenses the roommates are responsible for. You can split costs equally, by percentage, or have each person responsible for a certain expense.
If a damage deposit is required, state the amount and how the roommates plan to divide the cost. Most roommates split the deposit when they pay it at the start and again if they get it back when moving out.
The landlord isn’t required to return the deposit until all tenants vacate. If one roommate moves out before the lease ends, roommates can pay the departing roommate for their share of the deposit. If the departing roommate caused damage to the apartment, deduct the cost of that damage from the amount paid.
4. State any house rules, restrictions, and duties
When you’re establishing your Roommate Agreement rules, keep in mind that all roommates involved must agree to the clauses in the document.
Our template prompts you to list any house rules, responsibilities, or restrictions regarding:
- Smoking
- Alcohol
- Illegal activities
- Parties, gatherings, and celebrations
- Quiet hours
- Guests
- Personal property
- Cleaning
- Pets
- Parking spots and costs
- Living arrangements (such as shared spaces)
- Property damage disagreements
Additionally, you should note whether one roommate can terminate another roommate’s tenancy. If this scenario is possible, state which of the following conditions must apply (e.g., breaking a contract term or by majority vote).
You can also specify how much notice a roommate must give before leaving. Specify the number of days or whether this matter is already discussed in the original Lease Agreement.
Make note of who the roommate should notify if they’re leaving the tenancy. You can choose to notify the other roommates, the landlord, or another party.
Additionally, state the number of days after leaving that the roommate must provide a mail forwarding address. You may also limit how many days they have to remove their property from the premises before the remaining roommates can discard their abandoned belongings.
5. Include final details
If there are any clauses you wish to include that aren’t previously covered above, our template allows you to write one yourself. In this case, we provide tips on how to do so.
Finally, after completing the document, all parties should sign it to make it valid. Although it isn’t necessary, you can also choose to include witness signatures.
