Roommate Agreement

Page last updated: August 22, 2026 · How we source & update

What it's for

A written agreement between roommates outlining shared responsibilities, expenses, and house expectations.

Educational — information, not legal advice, and not attorney-reviewed.

When to use it

Use this when you're moving in with roommates or want to formalize an existing shared living arrangement to help prevent misunderstandings.

What to include

The names of all roommates and the shared rental address
How rent and shared expenses will be divided among roommates
How and when payments should be made to each other or to the landlord
Division of shared chores or household responsibilities
House expectations about guests, quiet hours, and shared spaces
What happens if a roommate wants to move out early

What to attach or keep

A copy of the master lease showing all parties' obligations
Records of shared expense payments, such as utility bills
Any earlier written understanding among roommates
Signed copies of this agreement for each roommate

Before you send

Discuss and agree on the terms together before finalizing, so everyone's expectations match
Make sure the agreement is dated and signed by every roommate
Give each roommate a signed copy to keep as proof everyone agreed
Let Renter Shield generate and customize this agreement, and help you track any shared deadlines

The letter

Everything in [square brackets] is yours to replace. Nothing is sent anywhere from this page — edit it here, copy it, and send it yourself however your lease says notices are given.

Deliberately no deadlines or dollar figures. Those are set by your state, city and lease, so this letter leaves them to you — your state page carries the sourced rule and its review status. This wording is a general-purpose draft, is not attorney-reviewed, and is information, not legal advice.

Roommate agreement — [address, unit]

[Your full name]
[Your rental address, unit number]
[City, State ZIP]
[Your phone] · [Your email]

[Date]

[Landlord or property manager name]
[Address used in your lease for notices]
[City, State ZIP]

ROOMMATE AGREEMENT

This is an agreement between roommates. It is not a lease and it does not change what the landlord can require of anyone who signed the lease.

Address: [address, unit]
Roommates: [full names]
Start date: [date]. Review date: [date].

1. RENT. Total rent is [amount] per [period], due to the landlord on [day]. Each roommate's share: [name] [amount]; [name] [amount]. Shares are paid to [who collects / paid directly to landlord] by [day of month].
2. IF SOMEONE PAYS LATE. [What happens — e.g. "the late roommate reimburses any late fee charged by the landlord."]
3. DEPOSIT. Each roommate contributed: [name] [amount]; [name] [amount]. When the tenancy ends, the returned deposit is divided [how], after deducting [what].
4. UTILITIES AND SHARED COSTS. [Which accounts, in whose name, split how, paid when.]
5. SPACE. Bedrooms: [who has which]. Shared areas: [any rules].
6. GUESTS. [Notice expected, overnight limits, anything about long stays.]
7. QUIET AND CLEANING. [Quiet hours, cleaning rotation or standard.]
8. MOVING OUT. A roommate who wants to leave gives [length] written notice to the others and [what they owe / how a replacement is chosen]. Everyone understands the landlord must approve any change to the lease.
9. WHAT WE DO IF WE DISAGREE. [Talk within X days / use a written note / mediation.]
10. WHAT THIS DOES NOT DO. This agreement is between us. The lease still governs our obligations to the landlord, and on most shared leases each tenant can be held responsible for the whole rent.

Signed:
[name] ______________________ Date ______
[name] ______________________ Date ______

You can type directly in the box. Your edits stay in this browser tab and are not saved or transmitted.

When NOT to use this letter

You expect it to protect you against the landlord. It does not. On most shared leases every tenant can be held responsible for the entire rent regardless of what roommates agreed between themselves.
One roommate is not on the lease. Read the lease's occupancy and subletting clauses first — an informal arrangement can put the leaseholder in breach.
The situation already involves safety, harassment, or someone refusing to leave. That needs advice, not a form.

Sending it and keeping the record

Sending. Everyone signs, everyone keeps a copy, and you date it. Photograph the signed pages. Revisit it whenever rent, roommates, or bills change.

Keeping. Keep: the signed agreement, the lease, a record of who paid what and when, and the deposit contributions.

Status of this wording: general-purpose draft, written by Renter Shield, not attorney-reviewed, no statutory deadline or dollar figure asserted. Rules vary by state, city, housing type and lease. Last updated September 3, 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

Want the deadline tracked too?

The letter above is yours to use right now, free, with no account. The Renter Shield app can also keep your dated copy and photos together on your device — that part is optional. — free to start.

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