Roommate Agreement Template: Free, Fill In and Download
Fill in your names, the rent and your house rules, and a real roommate agreement writes itself as you type: a one-page Simple version or a Full contract with every section. Rent shares are worked out to the cent. Download it as a Word file, or print it and save it as a PDF. No signup, and nothing you type leaves your browser.
Fill in your roommate agreement
Every field is optional. Whatever you leave blank stays a [bracket] to fill in by hand.
Roommates and home
The lease
Rent and how it is split
What the group agrees each feature is worth. The room with it pays the premium and everyone else pays the same amount less, so the total stays the same.
Want to compare methods first? The rent split calculator shows equal, room size, income and feature splits side by side.
Security deposit
Utilities and bills
House rules
Moving out and disagreements
Sections to include
Untick a section to leave it out. Rent, the roommates and the signatures always stay.
Roommate Agreement
This Roommate Agreement is made on [date] by the three roommates named below, who share the rental home at [rental address and unit]. It is an agreement among us only: it does not change our lease with the landlord, or what any of us owes the landlord under it.
1. Roommates and Home
1.1 The roommates are [Roommate 1 name] ([bedroom]), [Roommate 2 name] ([bedroom]) and [Roommate 3 name] ([bedroom]). In this agreement "we" and "us" means all of us, and "a roommate" means any one of us.
1.2 The rental home is [rental address and unit]. Each of us has the private use of the bedroom named above, and we share the rest of the home.
2. The Lease
2.1 This agreement refers to the lease for the home dated [lease date], between [landlord or property manager] and the tenants named in it (the "lease"). It runs from [start date] to [end date].
2.2 This agreement does not change the lease, and it does not change what any of us owes the landlord under the lease. If this agreement and the lease ever disagree, each of us still follows the lease, and we settle the difference among ourselves under this agreement.
2.3 This agreement takes effect when all of us have signed it, and it continues for as long as two or more of us share the home.
3. Rent
3.1 The total rent is [total monthly rent] a month, due to the landlord on the 1st of each month. We split it as follows:
| Roommate | Bedroom | Monthly share | Share of rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Roommate 1 name] | [bedroom] | [amount] | [percent] |
| [Roommate 2 name] | [bedroom] | [amount] | [percent] |
| [Roommate 3 name] | [bedroom] | [amount] | [percent] |
| Total | [total monthly rent] |
3.2 Each of us pays our own share directly to the landlord by the due date, in the way the lease requires, and keeps proof of payment.
3.3 If the rent changes, we split the new rent in the same proportions unless we all agree otherwise in writing.
4. Security Deposit
4.1 The security deposit under the lease is [deposit amount]. We paid it as follows:
| Roommate | Paid toward the deposit |
|---|---|
| [Roommate 1 name] | [amount] |
| [Roommate 2 name] | [amount] |
| [Roommate 3 name] | [amount] |
| Total | [deposit amount] |
4.2 If the landlord deducts for damage that one of us (or one of our guests) caused, that roommate pays it. Deductions for shared areas, or that we cannot trace to one person, are shared in the same proportions as the deposit.
4.3 If one of us moves out before the lease ends, the roommate who takes their place pays them back their deposit share, and that share then belongs to the new roommate.
5. Utilities and Shared Bills
5.1 We share these bills equally: electricity and internet.
| Bill | Account in the name of |
|---|---|
| Electricity | [account holder] |
| Internet | [account holder] |
5.2 The roommate whose name a bill is in shares each bill with the others within 3 days of receiving it, and each of us pays our part to that roommate within 7 days after that.
5.3 No one opens a new shared service, or upgrades one we share, without the agreement of all of us. A service only one of us uses is that roommate's own bill.
6. Late or Missed Payments
6.1 If one of us pays our share of the rent or of a bill late, that roommate pays any late fee or other charge the landlord or the provider adds because of it.
6.2 If one of us covers a share another roommate did not pay, the roommate who was covered repays it within 7 days.
6.3 A roommate who knows a payment will be late tells the others before it is due.
7. Chores and Cleaning
7.1 We share the cleaning of the kitchen, bathrooms and other shared areas on a weekly rotation, in the order our names appear in this agreement. The chores are: [the chores, such as kitchen, bathroom, floors and trash].
7.2 Each of us cleans up after ourselves in shared areas the same day, including dishes, and keeps our own bedroom clean enough that it does not affect the others.
8. Shared Supplies and Food
8.1 We split the cost of shared household supplies (such as cleaning products, toilet paper, dish soap and trash bags) equally. Whoever buys them keeps the receipt and is repaid within 7 days.
8.2 Food is not shared unless its owner offers it. Each of us labels or keeps our own food in our own space.
9. Quiet Hours
9.1 Quiet hours are 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. every day. During quiet hours we keep music, television, calls and guests at a level that cannot be heard in the bedrooms.
9.2 A roommate with an early shift, a night shift or an exam can ask for extra quiet, and the rest of us will make a fair effort to give it.
10. Guests
10.1 An overnight guest may stay no more than 3 nights in a row, and no more than 8 nights in a month, unless all the other roommates agree. A guest who would stay longer also needs the landlord's approval if the lease requires it.
10.2 Each of us tells the others before an overnight guest arrives. A message to the group is enough.
10.3 Each of us is responsible for our guests' behavior, and for any damage or cost they cause.
11. Smoking, Pets and Parking
11.1 No one smokes or vapes anywhere in the home, including bedrooms.
11.2 A new pet needs the agreement of all of us and any permission the lease requires. A pet's owner pays for any damage, cleaning or fee their pet causes.
11.3 Parking: [how any parking spaces are shared, or none].
12. Shared Spaces and Personal Property
12.1 Each bedroom is the private space of the roommate who has it. No one enters another roommate's bedroom without permission, except in an emergency.
12.2 Shared areas are for all of us. We do not leave belongings in them for long periods, and we keep them usable for everyone.
12.3 No one borrows or uses another roommate's belongings, food or accounts without permission.
12.4 Things we buy together belong to the roommates who paid for them, in the shares they paid. When one of us moves out, we agree in writing who keeps each shared item, or how its value is settled.
13. Moving Out and New Roommates
13.1 A roommate who plans to move out gives the others written notice at least 30 days before leaving.
13.2 The departing roommate looks for a replacement. A new roommate must be approved by all the remaining roommates, and by the landlord where the lease requires the landlord's consent.
13.3 The departing roommate keeps paying their share of the rent and bills until a replacement takes over their share or the lease ends, whichever comes first.
13.4 A departing roommate who wants to be released from the lease asks the landlord for that in writing. Until the landlord agrees, this section decides what the departing roommate owes the rest of us.
13.5 Before leaving, the departing roommate cleans their bedroom, removes their belongings, returns every key, and pays their part of any bill for the time they lived here.
14. Resolving Disagreements
14.1 If a problem comes up, we first talk about it directly with the roommate involved.
14.2 If that does not settle it, any of us can call a house meeting, held within 7 days, where each of us is heard.
14.3 If we still cannot agree, we will try a neutral mediator, such as a community mediation service, before taking any other step.
14.4 Nothing in this agreement stops any of us from contacting the landlord, the police or emergency services when safety requires it.
15. Changes to This Agreement
15.1 We can change this agreement only in writing, signed and dated by all of us. A new roommate signs this agreement, or an updated one, before moving in.
15.2 If one part of this agreement cannot be applied, the rest of it still applies.
15.3 Each of us keeps a signed copy.
16. Signatures
16.1 By signing below, each of us agrees to this Roommate Agreement.
SignatureDate
Printed name: [Roommate 1 name] ([bedroom])
SignatureDate
Printed name: [Roommate 2 name] ([bedroom])
SignatureDate
Printed name: [Roommate 3 name] ([bedroom])
Open it in Google Docs: upload the .docx to Google Drive, then open it with Google Docs. Your draft is kept in this browser so you can come back to it; Clear removes it. Names, addresses and incomes are never put in the page link, which holds only numbers, dates and choices.
What goes in a roommate agreement
A roommate agreement, sometimes called a roommate contract, sets out how the people who share a home share the rent, the bills and the home itself. The Full template above has these 16 sections, numbered like a contract; the Simple version keeps the 8 marked below on one page.
- Roommates and Home. Who the roommates are, which bedroom each has, and the address. (also in Simple)
- The Lease. The lease it refers to, its dates, and a line saying this agreement does not change it.
- Rent. The total rent, each person's share to the cent, the due date and how the rent reaches the landlord. (also in Simple)
- Security Deposit. What each person paid toward the deposit, who pays for damage, and what happens to a leaving roommate's share. (also in Simple)
- Utilities and Shared Bills. Which bills you share, how they are split, whose name each account is in and when each person pays. (also in Simple)
- Late or Missed Payments. What happens between you when someone pays late or another roommate covers them.
- Chores and Cleaning. A rotation, assigned chores or a cleaning service. (also in Simple)
- Shared Supplies and Food. Shared household supplies and food.
- Quiet Hours. Quiet hours and extra quiet for shifts or exams.
- Guests. How many nights an overnight guest can stay, and telling the others first. (also in Simple)
- Smoking, Pets and Parking. Smoking and vaping, pets, and parking.
- Shared Spaces and Personal Property. Private bedrooms, shared spaces, borrowing, and things you bought together.
- Moving Out and New Roommates. Notice to the others, finding and approving a replacement, the landlord's consent, and paying until then. (also in Simple)
- Resolving Disagreements. Talk first, then a house meeting, then a mediator.
- Changes to This Agreement. Changes only in writing, signed by everyone.
- Signatures. A signature and date line for every roommate. (also in Simple)
How to use this roommate agreement template
- Fill in the roommates, the address and the rent. Choose how to split the rent; the shares are worked out to the cent and always add up to the total.
- Pick Simple for a one-page agreement or Full for every section, and untick any section you do not need.
- Read it through together. Anything you leave blank stays a [bracket] to fill in by hand.
- Download the .docx to edit it in Word or Google Docs, or print it. Every roommate signs and dates it, and everyone keeps a copy.
Splitting the rent first? The rent split calculator compares the methods. Moving in? Use the move in checklist on day one, so a later deposit split is fair.
Who owes the landlord?
A roommate agreement is between the roommates who sign it. Your lease with the landlord still decides what each of you owes the landlord, and this agreement does not change that. What our roommate guides note on it:
- Arizona. “Co-tenants on one lease are typically jointly and severally liable for the entire rent.” Roommate rules in Phoenix, Arizona
- California. “Co-tenants who sign the same lease are jointly and severally liable unless the lease says otherwise.” Roommate rules in Los Angeles, California
- Colorado. “Co-tenants signing one lease are jointly and severally liable unless the lease allocates rent separately.” Roommate rules in Denver, Colorado
- Florida. “Co-tenants who sign the same lease are jointly and severally liable for rent and damages unless the lease splits it.” Roommate rules in Miami, Florida
- Georgia. “Joint and several liability among roommates comes from the lease contract, not from statute.” Roommate rules in Atlanta, Georgia
- Illinois. “Everyone named on the lease is normally jointly and severally liable, so a landlord can collect all the rent from one roommate.” Roommate rules in Chicago, Illinois
- Pennsylvania. “Roommates who sign the same lease are jointly and severally liable under the contract and common law, not by statute, so each one can be pursued for the entire rent and all damages.” Roommate rules in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Tennessee. “Whether co-tenants are jointly and severally liable is set by the lease, not by statute.” Roommate rules in Nashville, Tennessee
- Texas. “Everyone who signs the lease is normally jointly and severally liable, so one roommate can be pursued for the whole rent.” Roommate rules in Austin, Texas
How roommate clauses work in any lease: roommate clause explained. This is general information, not legal advice.
Roommate agreement questions
The basics: who the roommates are and which bedroom each has, the rental address and the lease it refers to, the total rent and each person's share, when and how the rent reaches the landlord, the security deposit and who paid what, which bills you share and whose name each account is in, chores, guests, and what happens when someone moves out. A full agreement adds late payments between roommates, shared supplies, quiet hours, smoking, pets and parking, personal property, how you settle disagreements and how the agreement can be changed. Every roommate signs and dates it. The generator above has a one-page Simple version with 8 sections and a Full version with 16.
It is a written agreement among the roommates who sign it. It does not change your lease with the landlord, and it does not change what any of you owes the landlord under that lease. Our Texas roommate guide notes: "Everyone who signs the lease is normally jointly and severally liable, so one roommate can be pursued for the whole rent." Whether a court would enforce a particular term of a roommate agreement depends on your state's law and the facts, which this page does not decide. What a signed and dated agreement does give you is a clear written account of what everyone agreed, made before any disagreement.
Write the total rent, each person's share in dollars, and the method you used, so a later change in the rent can be split the same way. Common methods are an equal split; a split by bedroom size, where part of the rent covers the shared space and the rest follows each bedroom's square feet; a split by income; or an equal split with a premium for a room with a private bathroom or a parking spot. The generator above works the shares out to the cent with our rent split calculator's arithmetic, so they always add up to the rent: $2,000 split equally three ways is $666.67, $666.67 and $666.66.
Between the roommates, your agreement decides it: how much written notice the leaving roommate gives the others, who looks for a replacement, who must approve a new roommate, and how long the leaving roommate keeps paying their share. With the landlord, the lease decides it, and the landlord's consent may be needed before a new roommate moves in or anyone comes off the lease. Our Wisconsin roommate guide notes: "Under § 704.09(2), a transfer or consent to transfer does not relieve the original tenant of the lease's contractual obligations absent an express release or a contrary lease provision." When the whole group is leaving, the notice to vacate letter generator writes the notice to your landlord.
Yes. Download .docx gives you a real Word file, made in your browser: open it in Microsoft Word or Apple Pages, or upload it to Google Drive and open it with Google Docs to edit and share it. Print / Save as PDF prints only the agreement, so you can choose Save as PDF in the print window. Download .txt and Copy give plain text for an email or a note. Nothing you type is sent to us.
More tools for roommates
- Rent Split Calculator: Compare equal, room size and income splits before you write the shares in.
- Security Deposit Limit Calculator: The most your landlord can ask as a deposit in your state, and each person's move-in cash.
- Move In Checklist: Note the condition of every room on move-in day, so the deposit split is fair later.
- Notice to Vacate Letter: When the whole group is leaving, the dated notice to your landlord.