Have more than one property? Our Ultimate Landlord Collection is worth purchasing/upgrading to. More Details.

Texas Roommate Agreement

Landlord Advice

A Texas roommate agreement is a contract between two or more people sharing a rental/leased space. For a roommate agreement to be legally binding, all the people involved must agree to its terms and conditions and sign the document. The document highlights all the information related to rental payments, living arrangements, utilities, terms and the responsibilities agreed upon by all the roommates.

Each roommate must read, understand and agree to the terms and a condition of the roommate agreement before signing it because once the document has been signed each one is expected to abide by the contract.

When to use a roommate agreement form

  • If you have a new roommate who is moving in with you
  • If you are moving in with a roommate
  • Some universities require their students to have a roommate agreement either for their on/off-campus housing

Doubled-up households, co-living and living with roommates is on the rise especially in parts of Texas with high rents. Creating a rental agreement is an excellent way to keep healthy relationships and the rental space adequately maintained. A roommate contract covers more than just financial agreement; you can use a roommate agreement to define guest rules, living arrangements, household chores, noise restrictions and more.

What to include in a roommate agreement

A roommate agreement should consist of the following basic information:

  • Name and contact information for all the parties involved
  • Address of the premise to be shared
  • Financial obligations for all roommates
  • Date when the contract starts and ends

How to write a Texas roommate agreement

The first step in writing a roommate agreement using our roommate agreement form generator is to write down premise address. You’ll then be required to write down the names and addresses for all roommates and the term of the agreement.

Financial obligations in a roommate agreement

The most important section of the roommate agreement is the financial part. In this section of the agreement, security deposit, rent and bills such as utilities, insurance and internet are covered.

Rent- there are different ways to decide the amount each roommate is expected to pay. Some roommates choose to divide even or others may agree depending on the room size.

Security deposits- In Texas, most landlords will ask for a security deposit before a tenant can move in. In most cases, this amount is divided evenly amongst roommates. However, if the landlord asks for a pet deposit, the pet owner will be required to pay this pet deposit.

Utilities- while in most cases roommates will agree to share the cost of utility equally, this cost can also be managed differently. In some cases, one roommate can put internet in their name during another power and so on. This helps remove the burden of one person being responsible for all the utility bills.

How a roommate agreement differs from a lease agreement

A roommate agreement is a contract between people sharing a rental/leased space. This agreement contains additional information that’s not included in a lease agreement. A rental/lease agreement, on the other hand, is a contract between a landlord and a tenant.