Roommate Agreement Template

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A roommate agreement is a rental contract between individuals in a shared living arrangement. It outlines the responsibilities of each roommate, such as the monthly rent, utilities, quiet times, and rules regarding guests.

Roommate Agreement Template

A roommate agreement is a rental contract between individuals in a shared living arrangement. It outlines the responsibilities of each roommate, such as the monthly rent, utilities, quiet times, and rules regarding guests.

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Last updated January 3rd, 2024

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A roommate agreement is a rental contract between individuals in a shared living arrangement. It outlines the responsibilities of each roommate, such as the monthly rent, utilities, quiet times, and rules regarding guests.

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How to Find a Roommate (6 steps)

Quick Facts

  • 71.38% of American households live with someone else.[1]
  • 26.97% of individuals living with someone else are non-relative.[2]
  • 29.2% of non-family roommates are between 18-34 years old.[3]
  • 37% of roommates say cleanliness is their biggest complaint.[4]
  • 49.8% of shared living situations have only one roommate.[5]

1. Use the Web

Friends, family, and co-workers make up 70.6% of roommates.[6] Therefore, using an individual’s social network to find a roommate is recommended.

Only after a person’s social circles are exhausted is time to find someone else to live with.

Top 5 Websites for Roommates

  1. Facebook – Reach out to friends and colleagues to live with someone.
  2. Craigslist.org – Classifieds for people seeking roommates.
  3. Roomster.com – A general directory of roommates and classifieds.
  4. Roommates.com – Verifies identities of roommates.
  5. Airbnb – Use for short-term roommate situations.

2. Meet with Potential Roommates

It is best when meeting with a potential roommate to ask the following five questions:

  1. Are you employed?
  2. How do you feel about splitting utilities?
  3. Do you smoke or drink?
  4. How do you like to have guests over?
  5. Do you consider yourself a clean person?

3. Screening a Roommate

Use any background check software to verify the individual’s credit and criminal history. This will generally cost between $15 to $45 and can be paid by the applying roommate when collecting their personal information.

Roommate Screening Services (5)

  • Avail.co ($55) – Includes a credit report, criminal background check, and eviction history.
  • Apartments.com ($29) – Includes employment status, household info, and rental history.
  • MyRental ($37.99) – Includes a credit report, eviction history, and mult-state criminal report.
  • Transunion (MySmartMove) ($40) – Includes a credit report, criminal background report, and eviction report.
  • Innago ($30-$35) – Includes a credit report, criminal history report, and eviction history.

4. Approve or Deny the Roommate

Deciding to approve or deny a roommate can take a few hours or up to a week. The screening process depends on its thoroughness, such as wanting to verify with references.[7]

5. Sign an Agreement

Everyone living on the premises should sign the roommate agreement, especially if group responsibilities are shared.

Landlord Sublet Consent Form – If a roommate has a master lease with the landlord, attaching the consent to the roommate agreement is recommended.

6. Roommate Moves In

The roommate is permitted to occupy the premises on the 1st day mentioned in their agreement. Upon move-in, the roommates should outline the following:

  • Communication Methods – Mention how disagreements should be settled.
  • Sharing Responsibilities – Including cleaning times, household item costs, and utilities.
  • Quiet Hours – To outline what days and times it should be quiet enough for other roommates to sleep.
  • Guest Policy – Rules for how long and when guests are allowed.
  • Pet Policy – If pets are permitted on the property and which types.

Sample

Download: PDF, MS Word (.docx), OpenDocument

ROOMMATE AGREEMENT

1. THE PARTIES. This Roommate Agreement (the “Agreement”) made on [MM/DD/YYYY] is between:

Roommate Name: [ROOMMATE (1) NAME]
Roommate Name: [ROOMMATE (2) NAME]
Roommate Name: [ROOMMATE (3) NAME]
Roommate Name: [ROOMMATE (4) NAME]

Each is a “Roommate” and collectively referred to as the “Roommates”.

The Roommates are tenants/occupants at the property located at [PROPERTY ADDRESS] (the “Premises”). The Premises are subject to a rental agreement signed by one (1) or more Roommates with [LANDLORD NAME].

2. TERM. The Roommates shall occupy the space for a term beginning on [MM/DD/YYYY] and ending on [MM/DD/YYYY] (the “Lease Term”).

3. RENT. The total monthly rent is $[AMOUNT] (the “Rent”).
Each Roommate will pay their share of the Rent in the following amounts:

[ROOMMATE (1) NAME] will pay $[AMOUNT] towards the total Rent.
[ROOMMATE (2) NAME] will pay $[AMOUNT] towards the total Rent.
[ROOMMATE (3) NAME] will pay $[AMOUNT] towards the total Rent.
[ROOMMATE (4) NAME] will pay $[AMOUNT] towards the total Rent.

4. UTILITIES. Any utilities not included with the Rent shall be shared equally among the Roommates. The Roommates are responsible for splitting the costs for the following utilities: (check all that apply)

☐ – Electricity
☐ – Gas / Heat
☐ – Water
☐ – Trash
☐ – Cable / Internet
☐ – Telephone
☐ – Other: [OTHER UTILITIES (IF ANY)].

5. CLEANING. The Roommates agree to keep their bedroom and bathroom (if any) clean and sanitary. The Roommates agree to share the responsibilities of cleaning and maintaining the common grounds of the Premises, which may include dusting, vacuuming, emptying trash, mopping/sweeping floors, cleaning bathrooms, and other duties. The Roommates will divide cleaning responsibilities as follows:

[ROOMMATE (1) NAME] (Roommate Name) will be responsible for the following:
[ROOMMATE (1) CLEANING RESPONSIBILITIES].

[ROOMMATE (2) NAME] (Roommate Name) will be responsible for the following:
[ROOMMATE (2) CLEANING RESPONSIBILITIES].

[ROOMMATE (3) NAME] (Roommate Name) will be responsible for the following:
[ROOMMATE (3) CLEANING RESPONSIBILITIES].

[ROOMMATE (4) NAME] (Roommate Name) will be responsible for the following:
[ROOMMATE (4) CLEANING RESPONSIBILITIES].

6. OVERNIGHT GUESTS. (check one)

☐ Overnight guests are allowed within reason. Guests may not stay more than [#] nights per month.
☐ Overnight guests are not allowed at any point, for any reason, unless agreed upon by all Roommates.
☐ There are NO restrictions regarding guests.

7. QUIET HOURS. Each Roommate agrees to keep their noise to a minimum to allow the Roommates to sleep, study, work, or for other reasonable purposes. The quiet hours will go into effect on: (check all that apply)

☐ Weekdays, from [HH:MM] to [HH:MM].
☐ Weekends, from [HH:MM] to [HH:MM].
☐ Will NOT establish any mandatory quiet hours.

8. FIREARMS. Firearms are: (check one)

☐ Permitted on the Premises.
☐ NOT Permitted on the Premises.

9. PETS. Pets are: (check one)

☐ Permitted on the Premises. The pet owner will be responsible for all care and maintenance of the pet, including cleaning up after the pet and repairing any damage caused by the Pet to the Premises or any of the Roommates’ property.
☐ NOT Permitted on the Premises.

10. SMOKING. Smoking is: (check one)

☐ Permitted ONLY in the following area(s): [PERMITTED SMOKING AREA(S)].
☐ Prohibited on the Premises and all common areas.

11. DAMAGES. Each Roommate is responsible for any damage to the Premises they (or their guests) cause. If there is damage that cannot be reasonably traced back to a particular person, all Roommates will share the damage’s cost equally.

12. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of [STATE NAME].

13. WRITTEN AGREEMENT. Any of the provisions included in this Agreement may be changed by written mutual consent. This Agreement will be attached to all roommate’s copies of the lease contract. Provisions may be omitted by marking out and initialing by the Roommates. This Agreement is only binding to those who sign it.

14. ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS. [ADD ANY ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS HERE (OPTIONAL)].

15. SIGNATURES. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Roommates have entered into this Agreement to be executed on the day and year first written above.

Roommate Signature: ____________________ Date: [MM/DD/YYYY]
Printed Name: [ROOMMATE (1) NAME]

Roommate Signature: ____________________ Date: [MM/DD/YYYY]
Printed Name: [ROOMMATE (2) NAME]

Roommate Signature: ____________________ Date: [MM/DD/YYYY]
Printed Name: [ROOMMATE (3) NAME]

Roommate Signature: ____________________ Date: [MM/DD/YYYY]
Printed Name: [ROOMMATE (4) NAME]