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Roommate Agreements

What is a Roommate Agreement?

A roommate agreement is a necessary document if you are going to be allowing roommates to move into your property. It is a legally binding contract between yourself and any potential roommates, that provide a detailed outline of what is expected of them.

You can see an example of a roommate agreement form to get a better understanding. That particular form covers up to four separate roommates.

The roommate agreement needs to cover the basic information – which is the property in questions address, as well as the name and address of all of the roommates that are moving in.

It’s up to you how detailed you want to be with the roommate form. Some people like to cover everything including the exact percentage of utilities etc. It is recommended you do that – having a legally binding contract will help you if any problems arise.

And unfortunately when it comes to roommates – there are always problems. Roommates not pulling their weight, paying bills late etc – having a roommate agreement is crucial, to stop any issues like that arising. While if they do arise the agreement will protect you – just having the agreement signed by the roommate(s), is usually enough to make them realize how important it is that they stay within the rules, as set by the roommate agreement contract.

Why Do You Need A Roommate Agreement Form?

Only someone who has never had a Roommate would be asking this question.

Whether it’s your best friend or a complete stranger – you’ll be sharing your living space with this person(or people). Problems do arise. Sometimes it can be the bills or rent being a few days late, or the chores not being shared equally. There could be other issues too like smoking, when the property is a non-smoking property, or the roommate bringing in pets, even if they were told they weren’t allowed.

A Roommate Agreement protects you from all of that. You set out the rules and guidelines for the new roommate(s), and if they break any of the rules you now have a legally binding contract with their signature, which will help resolve the problem. If you don’t have the roommate agreement then it’s just your word against theirs – and unfortunately in those situations, there’s nothing you can really do.

On top of that – just the actual act of signing a roommate agreement makes everything so much more “official”. The new roommate will understand that they have responsibilities as per the roommate contract, and that they cannot break them. The roommate agreement will protect you in the case that any problems do arise.

Roommate Agreement Templates:

Attempting to create one roommate agreement template is impossible – every person will have different needs and requirements. You may want to outline the rules of smoking within the agreement, or you may want to add a late payment penalty – while others may not. So attempting to create one big roommate agreement template that everyone can use – it’s just not plausible.

However we have went one better – we have created a roommate agreement template generator. With a few clicks of the mouse, you’re able to choose exactly how you want your roommate contract to look like. You can craft it to your specific needs – choose what data to include, and what data not to include(which is all set by default). Within a few minutes, you’ll have a legally binding roommate agreement.

Our Roommate Agreement Template Generator is available here and is set up so you can just jump in and get it created immediately, with no hassle. It’s very easy to edit it and you will get to see what it looks like as you go.

Where To Download A Roommate Agreement Form:

To download our Roommate Agreement form click here.

This will take you to the Roommate Contract form generator. Here you can choose exactly the data you want for the agreement, and craft it to your specific needs. You will then be able to download it in RTF, HTML or PDF Format allowing you to open it in a word processing program such as Wordpad or Microsoft Word, inside a web browser like Firefox or Internet Explorer, or open it in Adobe Acrobat.

Sample Roommate Agreement Contract:

To access our sample Roommate Contract, please do the following:

  1. Click here.
  2. Scroll to the bottom, click “Create my Agreement.

That’s all that you need to do to see the Roommate Agreement. This will generate a sample Roommate Agreement. Please note that by default all of the optional terms of the contract are turned off. However you can simply go back by clicking “Edit my Roommate Agreement”, and turn on any of the options, such as if there is an existing lease with the landlord, or if you wish to detail the living arrangements.

What do I need to put in a Roommate Agreement?

Everyone is different. Some people may want to break down all the chores and living arrangements, while others just want to cover the basics. Our roommate agreement offers the following – with the majority of it being completely optional for maximum flexibility:

  • Premises Address:
  • Whether there is an Existing Lease
  • How many Roommates, and their addresses
  • Details on how much rent the roommates will pay, the % of utility and service charges and the security deposit
  • Whether it is a Lease or Rental Agreement – the start and end dates of the contract
  • Whether pets are allowed on the property, smoking is allowed or not, and parking details
  • Payment information: who payments should be made out to and when the due date is; whether there is a penalty for late payments, returned checks or a security deposit required.
  • Information on when the roommate leaves: is the roommate to find a replacement? Is the roommate responsible for rent and whether the remaining roommates need to approve the new roommate.
  • Living arrangements such as bedroom allocation.
  • Specifics about utilities; what needs to be paid, and the amount paid.
  • A Housechold chore wheel.
  • Date the agreement was signed.

That covers practically everything that is required for a roommate agreement.

State Specific Roommate Agreements:

There may be specific requirements that you need to put in a roommate agreement depending on your state.

Our roommate contract software already has that covered – when you create the form it will ask you what state the property is in and if there is any state specific roommate details it will add them to the agreement.

Free Roommate Agreement Form

Unfortunately, our roommate agreement form generator is not free. This is because of the amount of work that is required to put into creating the agreement. We have to cover so many potential and possible options – and we also have to maintain and update the form based on specific peoples requirements.

We also need to keep updated with all state specific laws, incorporating those into the form if required.

However we do offer the best possible price. We researched prices online prior to coming to a set price point. Prices ranges from $20 to $200. We have priced our roommate agreement at just $15.

Also you’re not just buying ONE form – you’re buying access to the form – meaning you can come back and create another form and another and another if you want – an unlimited amount of roommate forms in the time span requested.

What Is A Roommate Chore Schedule?

A Roommate Chore Schedule allows you to divide the chores between you and your roommates.

it will list all the different chores in the house – such as taking out garbage, washing the dishes and cleaning out the bathroom – allocating it to a specific roommate on a specific day.

Do I Need A Chore Schedule?

Yes. Without a shadow of a doubt, yes.

One of the biggest issues when it comes to having roommates is the division of chores. This can create issues immediately – trust us. And something as simple as a roommate not taking the garbage out can create huge problems down the road. It just grows and grows and grows.

We’ve created a FREE roommate chore schedule for you to use.

You can click here to access it.

It covers up to 4 roommates, and is available in both PDF and DOC format. You can either print it off and write it out as a blank chore schedule, or you can fill it in digitally and print it off.

But trust us – get a roommate chore schedule. Immediately.