Roommate Agreement Template — Free, Legal & Ready to E-Sign

Key Takeaway: Living with roommates doesn't have to end in drama. A simple written agreement — covering rent, bills, chores, guests, and quiet hours — prevents 90% of roommate conflicts. Download our free template and get everyone on the same page.

Why You Need a Roommate Agreement

Roommate disputes are the #1 reason people break leases early. The most common conflicts:

1. Money — "You owe me for last month's internet bill"
2. Cleanliness — "It's your turn to clean the bathroom"
3. Guests — "Your boyfriend doesn't live here, why is he here every night?"
4. Noise — "I have a 7 AM meeting and you were up at 2 AM"
5. Moving out — "You can't just leave mid-lease and stick me with the rent"

A roommate agreement doesn't have to be legally aggressive — it's simply a written record of what everyone agreed to. When disputes arise (and they will), you can reference the agreement instead of relying on memory or assumptions.

Who needs one?

• College students sharing an apartment or dorm
• Young professionals splitting rent in a city
• Friends moving in together for the first time
• Couples moving in with a roommate
• Anyone sharing living space with another person

What Your Roommate Agreement Should Cover

1. The Basics

• Full names of all roommates
• Property address
• Lease start and end date
• Who is listed on the official lease?
• Landlord's contact info

2. Rent and Financial Responsibilities

• Total monthly rent: $X
• How it's split: Equal? By room size? By income?
• Who pays the landlord: One person collects and pays, or everyone pays directly?
• Due date: e.g., rent due to the collector by the 28th of each month
• Late payment policy: What happens if someone is late?

3. Utilities and Bills

4. Shared Spaces and Chores

• Cleaning rotation schedule for common areas (kitchen, bathroom, living room)
• How often shared spaces should be cleaned (weekly? bi-weekly?)
• Rules about dishes (wash within 24 hours? immediately?)
• Trash and recycling — whose week is it?
• Shared groceries vs. individual groceries

5. Guest and Overnight Visitor Policy

• How many consecutive nights can a guest stay?
• Maximum nights per month?
• Do guests need to be cleared with other roommates?
• Are romantic partners treated differently?
• Who is responsible if a guest causes damage?

6. Noise and Quiet Hours

• Quiet hours (e.g., 10 PM – 8 AM on weekdays, midnight – 9 AM on weekends)
• Rules about parties (advance notice required? limit on frequency?)
• Headphone policy for music, gaming, video calls

7. Shared Items and Personal Property

• What items are shared? (Cookware, TV, gaming console)
• What items are off-limits without asking?
• Who takes what when the living arrangement ends?

8. Moving Out

• Notice required: How much notice must a roommate give before moving out? (e.g., 60 days)
• Finding a replacement: Is the departing roommate responsible for finding a replacement?
• Security deposit: How is the deposit handled when one person leaves?
• Lease liability: What happens to the lease if someone moves out early?

How to Sign Your Roommate Agreement Online

No need to print anything — here's how to do it entirely online:

1. Upload the agreement to ZiaSign
2. Add signature fields for each roommate
3. Send the signing link to all roommates via email or text
4. Everyone signs from their phone — no app download required
5. Everyone gets a copy — the signed PDF is automatically shared with all signers

The whole process takes about 5 minutes. Pin the signed agreement to your group chat for future reference.