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Missouri Roommate Agreement

Landlord Advice

A Missouri roommate agreement is a contract between roommates sharing a rental unit. A roommate agreement outlines the terms of living together as agreed upon by the roommates as well as their rights and responsibilities.

There are some things that you should know regarding a roommate agreement. First, a Missouri roommate agreement is a contract that between roommate only and the landlord is not liable to any of the terms in this agreement. The landlord is only responsible for honouring the master lease with the tenant who signed it. A roommate agreement is considered legally binding once all the roommates agree and sign the document. Anyone who violates is held responsible, and the other party can seek legal justice.

Do I need a roommate agreement in Missouri?

Whether you are living with roommates in an apartment, a house or a college dorm in Missouri, it’s important to put every agreement into writing to avoid future disputes.

Drafting a roommate agreement gives an opportunity for a serious conversation about household duties, individual financial responsibilities, and house rules.

Additionally, a roommate agreement provides you with the chance to discuss how disputes will be resolved as they arise.

What to include in a Missouri roommate agreement

A roommate agreement should consist of the following basic information:

  • Roommates name and addresses
  • The term of the agreement
  • How rent payment, the security deposit will be split among roommates
  • How expenses such as the internet, electricity will be divided
  • Living arrangements, duties and house rules

How to write a Missouri roommate agreement

First, you’ll start by writing down details about the premise such as the type of the rented property and its address and inform your roommates whether there is an existing lease with the landlord.

You’ll then need to provide roommate information including their names and legal, physical address. In this section you can indicate whether a roommate is named in the main lease with the landlord, the amount they’re to pay for utilities and security deposit. Our Missouri roommate agreement caters for up to six roommates.

In term of the agreement section, you should state the duration of the lease and how it shall be renewed. You should also write down the number of days a roommate should give before terminating the agreement.

Other information you’ll need to provide include details related to rent payment, penalties for late rent payment and returned checks. You can also add details about living arrangements, responsibilities, chores and utilities.

Is a roommate agreement legally binding?

Some details of a Missouri roommate agreement such as household chores are unlikely to be enforced in a court. However, when it comes to financial arrangements such as rent payment, utilities, it may be possible for you to take legal action against a roommate who fails to honour the part of their bargain.

While no specific law in Missouri requires those sharing a rental space to draft a roommate agreement, we recommend that you write one. During the lease period, the chances are that disputes will arise due to differences amongst roommates. A roommate agreement will help prevent such conflicts.