Last updated: October 29, 2026
A roommate agreement is an informal written agreement that sets shared living expectations between the people in a home: how rent and bills are split, who does what, and what happens when someone moves out. It does not replace or change your lease; it governs how you and your roommates handle what the lease requires.
Below, you’ll find a roommate agreement template you can copy and customize, along with a roommate agreement checklist of what to cover. If you're still putting your household together, read our guides on how to find a roommate and questions to ask potential roommates so you can talk through compatibility before signing anything.
A roommate agreement is an informal written agreement that sets shared living expectations between the people in a home. Typical rules cover rent payments, utility splits, cleaning schedules, quiet hours, guest policies, and how to share or not share food and household supplies.
The agreement gives everyone in the household a shared reference point for everyday responsibilities. It can spell out how you'll divide bills, who cleans common areas, how much notice someone should give before having overnight guests, and how roommates will approach disagreements. It is useful whether you're sharing an apartment with friends, family, or people you've just met.
A roommate agreement is different from a lease. A lease is an agreement with the landlord or property owner, while a roommate agreement lays out expectations among the people sharing the home. The roommate agreement should never conflict with the lease.
Even if you're moving in with a close friend or partner, people can have different ideas about cleanliness, noise, shared expenses, and privacy. A written agreement helps you talk through those expectations before they become recurring frustrations.
The goal is to agree on the basics while everyone has a chance to speak up, and to make it easier to revisit those decisions when circumstances change.
A roommate agreement generally does not work the way a lease does, and it does not, by itself, change the landlord’s obligations. Between roommates, a written agreement can serve as evidence of what each person agreed to pay or do if a dispute over money reaches small claims court.
The University of California, Berkeley Student Legal Services guide to resolving conflicts lists a roommate agreement as one type of evidence that can verify each co-tenant's agreed-upon rent contribution. The same guide says that without a roommate agreement, records of monthly payments can serve a similar purpose. The Tenant Resource Center makes a similar point: roommates who have a written understanding of who owes what can more easily hold one another responsible. Time limits and court rules vary by state.
Finding a replacement does not automatically take you off the lease. Confirm with the landlord, in writing, whether and when your responsibility ends.
Signing a roommate agreement does not add anyone to the lease or remove anyone from it. The people who signed the lease, along with the lease's terms and applicable law, determine who is responsible to the landlord. If everyone signed the same lease and it makes them jointly and severally liable, the landlord can collect the full rent from any one of them, even if the roommates privately agreed to split it. The Tenant Resource Center's explanation of joint and several liability describes why roommates on one lease can each be held responsible for the whole amount, and why a written record of each person's share matters.
For more on the difference between a lease and other agreements, see our guide to what a lease agreement is and our lease guarantor FAQs. A few landlords attach a roommate agreement to the lease or otherwise incorporate its terms, which can change its status. If that happens, ask the landlord what the document changes and get clarification before signing. Consider getting local legal advice if you have a specific dispute.
Every household is different, but the following 13 topics are a useful starting point. Review your lease first, then agree on terms that fit your household and don't conflict with the lease.
Write down the total monthly rent, each roommate's share, the due date, how payments will be made, and who is responsible for paying the landlord. If one roommate collects everyone's share and submits the full payment, make the process and deadline clear. Also agree on how to handle a late or missed payment.
Remember that a private split between roommates does not limit what the landlord can collect. If everyone signed the lease and it makes the signers jointly and severally liable, the landlord can collect the full rent from any one of them. Berkeley Student Legal Services describes this as landlords being able to enforce full payment of rent against any one tenant individually, or all of them together. The agreement documents how you intend to divide the cost among yourselves, but it does not change the lease. For help planning housing costs, see how much you should spend on rent.
Also decide how you'll handle shared purchases beyond rent, such as household supplies or subscriptions. Will one person buy them and request reimbursement, or will everyone contribute to a shared fund? Record the arrangement so no one has to guess.
Your lease should explain the security deposit paid to the landlord. In your roommate agreement, record how much each roommate contributes and how you plan to handle the money when the household moves out or a roommate leaves early.
Agree on how to document damage, divide responsibility for deductions, and reimburse each person for their contribution if money is returned. Keep receipts and records of payments. The landlord's legal obligations for returning a deposit are separate from the way roommates agree to divide any refund among themselves. Berkeley Student Legal Services notes that a landlord may return a deposit to just one co-tenant, and that the co-tenant who receives it still owes the others their shares in proportion to what each contributed. Learn more in our guide to security deposits.
List the utilities and services the household uses, such as electricity, gas, water, trash, and internet. For each account, note whose name it's in, how the cost will be split, when everyone needs to pay, and who will submit the payment.
Roommates often divide bills evenly, but another split may work better for your household. Whatever you choose, put the method in writing and agree on how you'll share statements or receipts. If you need help estimating costs, see how to estimate apartment utilities.
Decide which groceries and household items, if any, everyone will share. You might split the cost of basics such as cleaning supplies, cooking oil, or toilet paper while buying personal groceries separately. Write down what belongs to the household and what belongs to an individual.
If you plan to shop together, agree on a schedule, budget, and way to track expenses. If you prefer to buy things separately, set clear boundaries around using one another's food and belongings. Our new apartment grocery list can help you plan the basics.
Set expectations for keeping shared spaces clean. You can assign specific tasks to each roommate, rotate responsibilities weekly, or create a schedule that everyone agrees to follow. Include common areas such as the kitchen, living room, and bathroom, as well as tasks like taking out trash and recycling.
Be specific about what "clean" means. For example, decide whether dishes should be washed the same day, how often the bathroom should be cleaned, and who handles spills or messes in shared areas. A clear plan helps everyone understand their responsibilities. You can use our house cleaning checklist as a starting point.
If several roommates share one bathroom, discuss busy times and any routines that affect others. You may not need a formal schedule, but it can help to agree on reasonable shower lengths, how long personal items can stay in shared spaces, and how to leave the bathroom for the next person. If everyone needs the bathroom at the same time each morning, consider setting a schedule that gives each person a fair chance to get ready.
Agree on quiet hours that work for everyone's sleep, work, and study schedules. Specify the hours when roommates should keep music, television, calls, and other noise to a minimum. You can also discuss expectations for parties, late-night visitors, and noise outside the quiet-hour window.
Keep the rules realistic and make sure they align with any building policies or lease terms. If noise becomes an ongoing problem, our guide to apartment noise complaints offers more information.
Discuss how roommates will handle guests, including advance notice, common-area use, and overnight stays. Can guests visit without notice? Should roommates give a heads-up before someone comes over? How many consecutive nights can an overnight guest stay before the household discusses the arrangement?
Can roommates have overnight guests? Yes, as long as it's discussed in advance and agreed upon, with boundaries set to prevent overnight guests from becoming unofficial roommates.
Make sure any guest rules follow the lease. Some leases limit how many days a guest can stay, so check yours. A roommate agreement should not promise that someone can live in the home if the lease or landlord's approval requirements don't allow it.
If anyone has a pet or is considering getting one, talk through the responsibilities before making a decision. Cover feeding, cleaning, noise, shared spaces, damage, and who will care for the pet when its owner is away.
The agreement should not override the lease's pet rules or any applicable housing requirements. Use it to clarify how the household will manage pet care and shared responsibilities within the terms of the lease.
If several roommates cook at home, discuss how you'll share the kitchen and refrigerator. You might assign shelves, agree on how long dishes can remain in the sink, or coordinate around especially busy meal-preparation times.
You don't need to plan everyone's meals. The goal is to agree on shared-space expectations so everyone can prepare food, store groceries, and clean up without unnecessary conflict. If you're considering a larger shared arrangement, see our guide to what coliving is.
Heating and cooling can affect both comfort and utility costs. Discuss preferred thermostat settings, when the heat or air conditioning should be used, and how you'll handle disagreements. If your household agrees to seasonal settings or limits, write them down.
Make sure the arrangement is consistent with the lease and building rules. Also decide how to discuss changes when weather or someone's needs make the original agreement impractical.
Your lease controls the legal requirements for ending a tenancy, but your roommate agreement can explain how roommates will coordinate with one another. Include how much notice someone should give the household, who will handle cleaning, how shared expenses will be settled, and how personal belongings will be removed.
If a roommate wants to leave before the lease ends, spell out how you'll approach finding a replacement and dividing costs while the change is being worked out. Berkeley Student Legal Services explains that a departing co-tenant remains responsible to the landlord under the lease, and to the remaining co-tenants for their share of the rent, until a replacement is found. It also says the landlord and the remaining co-tenants must approve a replacement. A roommate cannot automatically transfer lease obligations to someone else by finding a replacement, so check the lease and get any required landlord approval before a new person moves in. Learn more about subletting.
Also decide how the household will document damage and handle any deposit money between roommates. A departing roommate's private agreement with the household does not automatically release them from responsibilities under the lease.
Decide how you'll raise concerns and resolve disagreements. You might agree to talk directly first, follow up in writing if the issue remains unresolved, and then consider a neutral third party if needed. You can also schedule periodic household check-ins to revisit chores, bills, or routines.
Keep the process practical. Agree to bring up issues promptly, listen to each other, and record any changes to the original agreement. If a dispute involves lease obligations, threats, harassment, or someone refusing to leave, the roommate agreement may not be enough. Seek appropriate local guidance.
Use this checklist to confirm your agreement covers the basics before everyone signs:
Use the template below as a starting point and customize it together. It does not replace your lease, change who signed the lease, or override its terms. Check the lease and any applicable landlord approval requirements before agreeing to changes involving occupants, pets, guests, or move-out arrangements.
The template has 14 sections. It follows the 13 topics above, with kitchen and bathroom use combined into one section, temperature and shared spaces combined into another, and a signature section added at the end.
1. Household and Property
Rental address: [Full address]
Roommates covered by this agreement: [Full names]
Lease signatories (people who signed the lease): [Full names]
Agreement start date: [Date]
Agreement end date or review date: [Date]
Total monthly rent: [Amount]
Each roommate's share: [Name and amount for each roommate]
Rent due date: [Date or day of month]
Person responsible for paying the landlord: [Name or payment arrangement]
How each roommate will pay their share: [Method and deadline]
Plan for late or missed payments: [Agreed process]
We understand that if all roommates signed the lease, the landlord may be able to collect the full rent from any one of us, regardless of how we split it here: [Confirm]
Total security deposit paid to landlord: [Amount]
Each roommate's contribution: [Name and amount for each roommate]
How any refund will be divided: [Agreed method]
How deductions for damage or other charges will be documented and divided: [Agreed method]
If a roommate leaves early, how their contribution will be handled: [Agreed process]
Utility or service: [Electricity, gas, water, internet, etc.]
Account holder: [Name]
How the bill will be split: [Agreed method]
Payment due date and method: [Details]
How bills and receipts will be shared: [Agreed process]
Chores and assigned roommates or rotation: [Details]
Cleaning schedule: [Days or frequency]
Expectations for dishes, trash, recycling, and shared areas: [Details]
Items everyone agrees to share: [List]
Items that remain personal: [List]
How shared purchases will be paid for and tracked: [Details]
Advance notice expectations: [Details]
Overnight guest limits or notice: [Details]
Expectations for guests using shared spaces: [Details]
All guest arrangements must follow the lease: [Confirm]
Quiet hours: [Days and times]
Expectations for music, television, calls, parties, and other noise: [Details]
Pets permitted under the lease and approved for the household: [Details]
Pet care, cleaning, noise, and damage responsibilities: [Details]
Kitchen, refrigerator, and food-storage arrangements: [Details]
Bathroom schedule or shared-space expectations: [Details]
Heating and cooling preferences: [Details]
Expectations for shared areas and personal belongings: [Details]
Notice a roommate agrees to give the household: [Time period]
How shared bills and costs will be settled: [Details]
Process for finding a replacement and obtaining any required landlord approval: [Details]
How keys, belongings, cleaning, and deposit contributions will be handled: [Details]
Step 1: Discuss the issue directly and respectfully.
Step 2: If it remains unresolved, document the concern and proposed solution in writing.
Step 3: If needed, consider a neutral third party or seek appropriate local advice.
Additional agreed process: [Details]
By signing below, we confirm that we have reviewed and agreed to these household arrangements. We understand that this agreement does not replace or change the lease.
Roommate name: [Full name] Signature: __ Date: [Date]
Roommate name: [Full name] Signature: __ Date: [Date]
Roommate name: [Full name] Signature: __ Date: [Date]
Roommate name: [Full name] Signature: __ Date: [Date]
Each roommate should keep a signed copy. Update the agreement in writing if the household's arrangements change.
Even with a clear agreement, disagreements can still happen. Address issues early rather than letting frustration build. Explain what happened, refer to the relevant part of your agreement, and work toward a specific solution.
If a conversation doesn't resolve the issue, follow up in writing so everyone understands what was discussed and what needs to change. Regular household check-ins can also help you revisit chores, bills, and shared-space expectations before they become bigger problems.
If you can't reach an agreement, consider whether a neutral third party, such as a mediator or resident advisor, can help. Keep in mind that a landlord is generally not required to settle disputes between roommates, according to Berkeley Student Legal Services. When the issue concerns the lease, a legal dispute, harassment, or someone refusing to leave, seek appropriate local advice rather than relying on the roommate agreement alone.
Write down each roommate's responsibilities for rent, bills, deposits, chores, guests, quiet hours, and shared spaces. Include a process for resolving disagreements and what happens if someone wants to move out. Review the terms together, make sure they don't conflict with the lease, and have everyone sign and keep a copy. You can start from the free template above.
A roommate agreement is not a lease and does not, by itself, change the landlord’s obligations. Between roommates, it can serve as written evidence of what each person agreed to if a dispute over money reaches small claims court. See the legal section above for more details.
Typical rules cover rent payments, utility splits, cleaning schedules, quiet hours, guest policies, and how to share or not share food and household supplies. Many agreements also cover pets, bathroom use, shared purchases, and what happens if someone moves out early.
Yes, as long as it's discussed in advance and agreed upon, with boundaries set to prevent overnight guests from becoming unofficial roommates. Any guest arrangement should also follow the lease and applicable occupancy rules.
Start by discussing the issue and pointing to the relevant term. If it continues, document what happened and the steps you've taken to resolve it. A written agreement may help clarify what everyone agreed to, but it does not guarantee a particular legal outcome. If the issue involves money or lease obligations, consider seeking local legal guidance.
Review the lease before making plans. The roommate agreement can set expectations for notice, settling shared bills, finding a replacement, and handling deposit contributions, but it cannot automatically release someone from their lease obligations. Check whether the landlord's approval is required before another person moves in, and get any agreed changes in writing.
A roommate agreement can record what that person agrees to pay and do, but it does not add them to the lease. Check your lease and ask the landlord whether approval is needed before anyone else lives in the home.
In unit laundry, Granite counters, Hardwood floors, Dishwasher, Pet friendly, 24hr maintenance + more
In unit laundry, Patio / balcony, Hardwood floors, Dishwasher, 24hr maintenance, Garage + more
