🏠 Texas Roommate Agreement
Shared Housing Contract Between Roommates
📋 Purpose of Roommate Agreement
Establishes rules and responsibilities between people sharing housing:
- Among roommates: Agreement between co-tenants, not with landlord
- Clarifies responsibilities: Who pays what, when, and how
- Sets household rules: Quiet hours, guests, cleanliness, shared spaces
- Prevents disputes: Clear expectations reduce conflicts
- Enforceable contract: Legally binding agreement among roommates
- Supplements lease: Doesn’t replace lease with landlord
⚠️ This Does NOT Replace Your Lease
Critical distinction:
- Lease with landlord: You still have lease with landlord – that’s the primary agreement
- Joint and several liability: All roommates on lease are fully liable to landlord
- Roommate agreement internal: This is just between roommates for how you’ll split things
- Landlord not bound: Landlord can still hold any roommate liable for full rent
- Use both: Keep lease with landlord AND use this to organize among yourselves
✅ Benefits of Roommate Agreement
- Clear expectations: Everyone knows their responsibilities
- Prevents disputes: Reduces conflicts over money, chores, guests
- Fair cost sharing: Documents who pays what percentage
- House rules: Sets standards for cleanliness, noise, guests
- Conflict resolution: Process for handling disagreements
- Move-out protection: What happens if someone leaves early
📝 Roommate Agreement
Property Information
Who you rent from (for reference)
Roommates
👤 Roommate #1
👤 Roommate #2
Financial Responsibilities
Utilities and Other Expenses
Electric, gas, water, internet, etc.
Household Rules
✅ Common Household Rules
Check all that apply to your household:
Guest Policy
Cleaning and Maintenance
Early Termination / Roommate Leaving
⚠️ Important – Early Move-Out
What happens if a roommate wants to leave before lease ends:
- Still liable to landlord: Person on lease still owes rent to landlord until lease ends
- Replacement roommate: Leaving person responsible for finding replacement (with landlord approval)
- Or pay their share: If can’t find replacement, must continue paying their portion
- Notice to other roommates: How much advance notice required
Conflict Resolution
Signatures
All roommates must sign to indicate agreement to these terms:
📚 Roommate Agreement Guide
Legal Context: Roommate agreement is contract between co-tenants sharing housing. Establishes internal responsibilities for rent, utilities, household duties, and rules. Does NOT replace lease with landlord – all roommates on lease remain jointly and severally liable to landlord for full rent and damages. Landlord can hold any one roommate responsible for entire amount. Roommate agreement useful for organizing among yourselves but doesn’t limit landlord’s rights. Enforceable contract among roommates for internal cost-sharing and expectations.
What Is Roommate Agreement
Purpose and scope:
- Between roommates: Contract among people sharing housing, not with landlord
- Internal organization: How you’ll split costs and responsibilities
- Supplements lease: Adds to (doesn’t replace) lease with landlord
- Clarifies expectations: Prevents misunderstandings and disputes
- Enforceable: Legally binding contract among signing parties
Critical Limitation – Joint and Several Liability
⚠️ Understanding Joint and Several Liability
All roommates on lease are fully liable to landlord:
- Landlord can sue any one: For full rent, not just “your share”
- Example: $1,500 rent split 3 ways = $500 each. If 2 roommates don’t pay, landlord can demand all $1,500 from you
- Roommate agreement doesn’t change this: Agreement among yourselves doesn’t limit landlord’s rights
- You can sue roommate: If you pay their share, you can sue them in small claims for reimbursement
- Protect yourself: Choose roommates carefully, have agreement, document everything
Key Topics to Address
Essential provisions:
✅ What to Include in Roommate Agreement
- Rent split: How much each person pays, when, to whom
- Utilities: How split (equal, proportional, by usage)
- Security deposit: Each person’s contribution and how returned
- Bedroom assignments: Who gets which room
- Shared expenses: Cleaning supplies, toilet paper, etc.
- Household rules: Quiet hours, cleanliness, guests
- Guest policy: Overnight guests, long-term visitors
- Cleaning duties: Who cleans what and when
- Food/kitchen: Shared vs. personal groceries
- Parking: If limited, who gets spots
- Pets: If allowed by landlord, rules among roommates
- Early termination: What if someone leaves early
- Conflict resolution: How to handle disagreements
Common Rent Split Methods
How to divide rent fairly:
- Equal split: Everyone pays same amount
- Example: $1,500 rent ÷ 3 people = $500 each
- Simplest but may be unfair if rooms very different sizes
- By bedroom: Larger/better rooms pay more
- Example: Master $700, medium $500, small $300
- Fair when rooms significantly different
- Proportional to square footage: Pay based on bedroom size
- Calculate: (Your room sq ft ÷ Total bedrooms sq ft) × Total rent
- Most fair for different room sizes
Utility Split Options
Common arrangements:
- Equal split: Simplest – divide bill equally
- Proportional to rent: If someone pays more rent, they pay same percentage of utilities
- By usage: If measurable (separate meters, AC units), pay for actual use
- Who pays company:
- One person’s name on bill, others reimburse
- Or split accounts (electric in A’s name, internet in B’s)
Guest Policies
Setting boundaries:
📋 Typical Guest Rules
- Notification: Text other roommates when guest coming
- Overnight limit: 2-3 nights per week maximum common
- Extended visits: Anything over 1 week requires all roommates’ approval
- Guest responsibilities: Hosting roommate cleans up after guest
- “Unofficial roommate”: If someone essentially living there, address it
- Quiet respect: Guests follow same quiet hours as roommates
Cleaning Arrangements
Common systems:
- Rotating chores: Each person has assigned week for all common areas
- Specific assignments: A always does bathroom, B kitchen, C living room
- Clean as you go: Everyone responsible for cleaning up after themselves immediately
- Hire service: Split cost of monthly cleaning service
- Standards: Define “clean” – dishes within 24 hours, vacuum weekly, etc.
Early Termination Issues
When roommate wants to leave early:
⚠️ Roommate Leaving Early
Process and responsibilities:
- Still liable on lease: Leaving person owes rent to landlord until lease ends or replaced
- Required notice: 30-60 days notice to other roommates typical
- Find replacement: Leaving person responsible for finding approved replacement
- Landlord approval: Replacement must be approved by landlord and pass screening
- If no replacement: Leaving person must continue paying their share
- Security deposit: Usually returned at lease end, or replacement pays leaving person
- Document in agreement: Spell out these terms clearly
Best Practices
✅ Roommate Agreement Tips
- Create before moving in: Discuss and agree to terms before living together
- Be specific: Don’t leave things vague – spell out details
- All sign: Every roommate must sign agreement
- Provide copies: Each person gets signed copy
- Include everything: Address all areas that could cause conflict
- Realistic expectations: Set achievable standards, not perfect ideals
- Flexibility clause: Can modify agreement if all agree
- Communication: Regular check-ins to address small issues before they grow
- Document violations: Keep record if someone repeatedly breaks agreement
- Review periodically: Revisit terms every 6-12 months
Common Issues and Solutions
Frequent roommate conflicts:
- Cleanliness differences:
- Problem: Different standards of “clean”
- Solution: Define specific standards in agreement (dishes within 24 hours, etc.)
- Guest conflicts:
- Problem: One person always has guests over
- Solution: Set specific limits (2 nights/week) and require notification
- Utility disputes:
- Problem: One person uses way more electricity/water
- Solution: If measurable, split by usage. Otherwise accept equal split trade-off
- Noise issues:
- Problem: Different sleep schedules
- Solution: Specific quiet hours in agreement, respect headphones
- Food/kitchen:
- Problem: Eating others’ food, not cleaning up
- Solution: Label everything, clean within 24 hours rule
⚖️ Legal Disclaimer
This form is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Roommate agreement is contract between co-tenants for internal cost-sharing and household rules. Does NOT replace or modify lease with landlord. All roommates on lease remain jointly and severally liable to landlord for full rent and damages. Landlord can hold any one roommate responsible for entire amount owed.
Enforceable among roommates only. Agreement binding among roommates who sign it. Can sue roommate in small claims for breach (not paying their share, etc.). Does not limit landlord’s rights under lease. If one roommate doesn’t pay, landlord can still demand full rent from others. You can then seek reimbursement from non-paying roommate.
Choose roommates carefully. Living with someone means financial interdependence. Joint liability means their failure to pay becomes your problem with landlord. Have clear written agreement. Communicate openly. Document everything. Address issues early. For complex roommate disputes or questions about liability, consult attorney.
