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    Free roommate agreement template

    A roommate agreement is a written contract among people who share a rental, setting out how they split the rent, security deposit and utilities and the house rules they agree to live by. It binds the roommates to each other only: it doesn't change the lease with the landlord. Fill in the form below for two to four roommates to get a ready-to-sign agreement, or download the blank version to complete by hand.

    Last reviewed: · by MakeLease Editorial Team

    Roommate Agreement generator

    The home

    Usually the date everyone signs.

    The end date in your lease with the landlord.

    Roommates

    One line per roommate. Note any shared or private bathrooms, closets or parking spaces.

    Rent

    $

    Shares entered so far add up to $2,400.

    $

    For Jordan Ellis.

    $

    For Sam Patel.

    $

    For Riley Chen.

    Who pays the landlord

    Leave a few days before the landlord's due date.

    Security deposit

    $

    Leave blank if none.

    $

    For Jordan Ellis.

    $

    For Sam Patel.

    $

    For Riley Chen.

    Utilities and internet

    Utilities and internet

    The account holder pays the bill and the others reimburse them.

    Counted from when the account holder shares the bill.

    Shared household

    Groceries

    One line per chore or rotation.

    House rules

    Check your lease too: many leases limit how long a guest can stay.

    Pets
    Smoking and vaping

    Moving out and disputes

    How disputes are handled
    Blank PDF

    Free, no account needed. Showing example details. Replace them with yours.

    Roommate Agreement

    This Roommate Agreement (the “Agreement”) is made on November 1, 2026 among Jordan Ellis, Sam Patel and Riley Chen (each a “Roommate”), who share the home at 123 Maple Street, Unit 4, Springfield (the “Home”) under a lease with Morgan Rivera that ends on August 31, 2027 (the “Lease”).

    This Agreement is only between the Roommates. It does not change the Lease, does not bind the landlord, and does not limit what any Roommate owes the landlord under the Lease. If the Lease makes each tenant responsible for the full rent or for damage, that stays true no matter what this Agreement says about how the Roommates share costs among themselves.

    1. Roommates and bedrooms

    Each Roommate has the private use of the space listed below. All other parts of the Home are shared.

    • Jordan Ellis: primary bedroom with private bathroom
    • Sam Patel: front bedroom
    • Riley Chen: back bedroom (shares hall bathroom with Sam)

    Each Roommate respects the others' privacy and does not enter another Roommate's bedroom without permission, except in an emergency.

    2. Rent

    The total rent under the Lease is $2,400 per month, due to the landlord on the 1st of each month. The Roommates split it as follows:

    RoommateMonthly share
    Jordan Ellis$900
    Sam Patel$780
    Riley Chen$720
    Total$2,400

    Each Roommate pays their share to Jordan Ellis by the 28th of the month before, and Jordan Ellis pays the full rent to the landlord on time and shares proof of payment with the others on request.

    • A Roommate who pays their share late is responsible for any late fee or other charge the landlord imposes because of that late payment.
    • If a Roommate does not pay their share and another Roommate covers it to keep the rent paid, the Roommate who did not pay owes that amount back to whoever covered it.

    3. Security deposit

    The security deposit paid to the landlord is $2,400. Each Roommate contributed:

    RoommateContribution
    Jordan Ellis$900
    Sam Patel$780
    Riley Chen$720

    When the landlord returns the deposit, the Roommates divide it in proportion to their contributions. A deduction caused by one Roommate (or that Roommate's guest or pet) comes out of that Roommate's portion. Deductions for shared areas that can't be traced to one Roommate are shared in proportion to contributions.

    4. Utilities and internet

    Utility and internet bills that the Roommates pay (not those included in the rent) are split equally among the Roommates.

    Accounts are held as follows:

    • Electric and gas: Jordan Ellis
    • Internet: Sam Patel
    • Water and trash: included in rent

    The account holder pays each bill on time and shares a copy with the others. Each Roommate pays the account holder their share within 7 days of receiving the bill.

    5. Groceries and shared supplies

    Each Roommate buys their own food and doesn't use the others' food without asking.

    Shared household supplies: Toilet paper, dish soap, trash bags and cleaning products: split equally, bought in turns

    6. Chores and cleaning

    • Kitchen and living room: weekly rotation, Jordan, Sam, Riley
    • Trash and recycling out Tuesday night: Sam
    • Each roommate cleans their own bedroom and bathroom

    Each Roommate keeps the Home in the condition the Lease requires and reports repair needs to the landlord promptly.

    7. Quiet hours and guests

    • Quiet hours: 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Sunday–Thursday; midnight to 8 a.m. Friday–Saturday
    • Guests: Give the others a heads-up before having more than 3 guests over
    • Overnight guests: No more than 3 nights in a row or 8 nights a month without everyone's OK

    Each Roommate is responsible for their guests' behavior and for any damage their guests cause. Guest stays must also follow any limits in the Lease.

    8. Pets and smoking

    The Roommates agree to these pets: Riley Chen's cat, Pepper. Any other pet needs every Roommate's written agreement and, if the Lease requires it, the landlord's written consent.

    A pet's owner is responsible for its care, cleanup and any damage or charges it causes.

    No smoking or vaping of any kind anywhere in the Home.

    9. Moving out early

    • A Roommate who wants to move out before the Lease ends gives the other Roommates written notice at least 30 days before leaving.
    • The departing Roommate stays responsible for their share of rent and utilities until the earlier of (a) the end of the Lease or (b) the date a replacement Roommate moves in and takes over that share.
    • The departing Roommate may find a replacement. A replacement must be acceptable to the remaining Roommates, who will not unreasonably refuse, and must be approved by the landlord if the Lease requires it. A replacement is not on the Lease unless the landlord adds them in writing.
    • The departing Roommate's share of the security deposit is settled when the landlord returns the deposit at the end of the Lease, unless the replacement agrees to buy it out sooner.

    10. Disagreements

    Roommates raise problems directly and early. If that doesn't settle it, any Roommate may call a house meeting. If the meeting doesn't settle it, the Roommates will try a free or low-cost mediation service before going to court.

    Nothing in this section stops a Roommate from contacting the landlord about a Lease issue, calling for help in an emergency, or going to court over money owed.

    11. Other terms

    • The living-room couch and TV belong to Jordan Ellis and leave with Jordan.

    12. General

    • This Agreement lasts until the Lease ends or all Roommates move out, whichever comes first. A Roommate's obligations to pay amounts already owed continue after they move out.
    • Changes to this Agreement must be in writing and signed by every Roommate then living in the Home.
    • If any part of this Agreement can't be enforced, the rest still applies.
    • Each Roommate gets a signed copy.

    13. Signatures

    By signing below, each Roommate agrees to this Agreement.

    Roommate signature (Jordan Ellis)
    Date
    Roommate signature (Sam Patel)
    Date
    Roommate signature (Riley Chen)
    Date

    Made free at make.lease/forms/roommate-agreement

    What to include in a roommate agreement

    • The home and the lease. The address, the landlord's name and the date the lease ends, so the agreement clearly runs alongside a specific lease.
    • Every roommate and their space. Full names and who gets which bedroom, plus any private bathroom, closet or parking spot.
    • Each person's rent share, in dollars. The shares should add up to the full rent in the lease. The form warns you if they don't.
    • Who pays the landlord, and by when. Either everyone pays the landlord directly, or one roommate collects the shares a few days early and sends one payment.
    • Security deposit contributions and how the refund (and any deductions) is divided when the landlord returns it.
    • Utilities and internet. Who holds each account, how bills are split (equally, by percentage or another way) and how fast everyone pays the account holder back.
    • Groceries, shared supplies and chores. The small, daily things that cause most roommate friction.
    • House rules: quiet hours, guests and overnight-guest limits, pets and smoking.
    • Moving out early. Notice to the other roommates, who pays until a replacement moves in, and that a replacement may need the landlord's approval.
    • How disagreements get handled, and a signature line for every roommate.

    Is a roommate agreement legally enforceable?

    It can be. A roommate agreement is a contract between the roommates, so whether a particular term holds up depends on your state's contract law and on how the term is written. Clear, specific money terms (a dollar amount for each person's rent share, a deposit contribution, a deadline to repay utilities) are the easiest to enforce. Lifestyle rules like chore rotations or quiet hours are useful for setting expectations, but they are much harder to enforce in court.

    When a roommate dispute does reach a courtroom, it's usually about money, such as an unpaid rent share or a deposit deduction, and those claims are commonly handled in small claims court. Filing limits and procedures vary by state, so check your local court's website before you file.

    The landlord is not bound by it. Your agreement can say each of you owes a set share, but your lease controls what the landlord can collect. Check your lease: many leases make each tenant responsible for the full rent ("jointly and severally liable"), which means if one roommate stops paying, the landlord may be able to seek the whole amount from any tenant on the lease. The roommate agreement then gives the person who covered the gap a written record to recover their money from the roommate who didn't pay. For the rules on deposits, notices and evictions in your state, see the landlord-tenant law by state and the security deposit laws by state.

    Roommate agreement vs. lease amendment vs. sublease

    These three documents get mixed up because they all come up when people share a rental. They do different jobs and involve different people.

    DocumentWho signsUse it when
    Roommate agreementThe roommatesRoommates already living together want to put cost splits and house rules in writing. It doesn't change the lease.
    Lease amendmentLandlord and every tenantYou're adding a roommate to the lease as a tenant (or removing one), which changes the lease itself.
    Sublease agreementThe tenant and the subtenant (often with the landlord's consent)A tenant rents their room or unit to someone who is not on the lease, for example while they're away.

    Many households use two of these: a lease amendment to put the new roommate on the lease, then a roommate agreement among everyone on it.

    Worked example: splitting rent by room

    Three roommates share a $2,400-a-month apartment. Splitting evenly would be $800 each, but the rooms aren't equal: one has a private bathroom, and one is noticeably smaller. They agree on:

    • Primary bedroom with private bath: $900
    • Front bedroom: $780
    • Smaller back bedroom: $720

    $900 + $780 + $720 = $2,400, so the full rent is covered. If the shares came to $2,350, the form would flag the $50 gap, which is exactly the kind of shortfall that leads to a late rent payment and a late fee. They also split the $2,400 security deposit in the same proportions, so when the landlord returns it, each person gets back what they put in, minus any damage they caused.

    Utilities are often simpler to split equally, since everyone uses the kitchen, heat and internet. If one roommate works from home or runs a space heater all winter, a percentage split may feel fairer. The form supports both, and checks that percentages add up to 100%.

    Advertising for a roommate

    Choosing someone to share your own living space is treated differently from renting out a separate unit. In Fair Housing Council of San Fernando Valley v. Roommate.com, LLC (9th Cir. Feb. 2, 2012), the federal appeals court for the Ninth Circuit held that the federal Fair Housing Act does not reach "the sharing of living units," and so does not cover roommate selection. It read California's fair housing law the same way, though one judge disagreed on that point.

    That ruling is narrow. It is one appeals court's interpretation, it concerns sharing a living unit (not renting out a separate apartment), and state or local fair housing laws can be broader than federal law. If you're advertising a room, describe the room, the rent and the house rules, and check your state and local rules before including anything about who you want to live with.

    Signing tips

    • Fill it in together. Agree on the numbers and rules as a group before anyone signs. An agreement one roommate wrote and the others signed without reading tends to fall apart at the first disagreement.
    • Every roommate signs the same version and dates it. Give each person a signed copy, or sign one and share a scan.
    • Read the lease side by side. Make sure your guest, pet and smoking rules are no looser than the lease's. The lease still applies to everyone.
    • Update it when things change. When someone moves out or a new roommate moves in, sign a new agreement with the current household rather than crossing out names.
    • Keep a payment trail. Pay shares by a method that leaves a record (a bank transfer or payment app), and keep utility bills and receipts with the agreement.

    Frequently asked questions

    Does a roommate agreement change our lease with the landlord?

    No. A roommate agreement is between the roommates only. The landlord isn't a party to it, so it doesn't change the rent, the lease term or who the landlord can hold responsible. Check your lease: many leases make each tenant responsible for the full rent (jointly and severally liable), whatever the roommates agree about splitting it.

    How do I add a new roommate to the lease?

    Ask the landlord. Adding a person as a tenant changes the lease itself, so it takes the landlord's written agreement, usually through a lease amendment signed by the landlord and every tenant. A roommate agreement on its own does not put anyone on the lease.

    What if a roommate stops paying their share?

    Start with the agreement: it records each person's share and says a roommate who doesn't pay owes it back to whoever covered it. If talking and a house meeting don't fix it, roommates often take money disputes to small claims court. Keep paying the landlord in full in the meantime if your lease makes every tenant responsible for the whole rent.

    Can one roommate move out early?

    Under this form, the roommate gives the others written notice, keeps paying their share until the lease ends or a replacement takes over, and any replacement needs the remaining roommates' OK and the landlord's approval if the lease requires it. Moving out doesn't by itself remove a tenant from the lease; only the landlord can release them.

    How many roommates can sign this agreement?

    The form handles two to four roommates, each with their own rent share, deposit contribution and signature line. The blank PDF has four rows; leave the extra rows empty if fewer people live there.

    Sources

    Sources last checked 2026-10-27.

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