25+ Simple Room Rental Agreement Templates (Word / PDF)

You need a well-drafted room rental agreement template if it is mandatory for you to live with at least one roommate. It is important to have a roommate agreement in hand while allowing people to move in with you. This agreement protects your access to your housing in case your roommate violates the rules of the room rental agreement they signed.

Furthermore, a room rental agreement specifies the amount of money each roommate has to pay for bills, the behavior of the involved parties, and the responsibilities of each roommate relevant to the contract.

What is a room rental agreement?

A room rental agreement is a legally binding agreement between the owners of the room and tenants. It contains clearly outlines the responsibilities of both parties, upon signing, and implements those specific duties and obligations on them. This agreement enables you to feel secure enough to rent out one of the rooms in your home.

The difference between room rental and roommate agreements:

There are several notable difference between room rental and roommate agreements;

A room rental agreement is also referred as a sublease used when a tenant wants to sublet their room to another party. On the other hand, a roommate agreement is known as a housemate agreement or a roommate contract use when moving in with a new roommate or have found a new roommate.

The room rental agreement requires landlord’s approval of the sublease and incorporates elements of the original lease agreement. While, the roommate agreement doesn’t usually require the landlord’s permission and independent of the original lease agreement.

When do you require a room rental agreement?

If you are a homeowner, principal tenant, or building manager and want to lease a private room or portion of your property to a secondary tenant then you should use a room rental agreement. This agreement is also used to clarify expectations, responsibilities, and obligations of both parties and to promote a harmonious living environment. Moreover, to curb potential issues this agreement proves great before they escalate and enable parties to open up communication channels.

Who will be renting your room most likely?

These days, buying your own home is getting more and more expensive. Therefore, people are starting to opt to rent instead of buying. There are various types of people who like to rent a room. Also, it is essential for you to get to know your tenants.

You can use the time while discussing the room rental agreement to get to know the people who plan to rent your room. This way, you have enough information and peace of mind. Here is a list of people who will be most likely to rent your room;

• Individuals: in the area where your room is located, students, young professionals or people who have a business, but they already have their own home in another area.
• Couples: husband and wife as well as same-sex life partners.
• Families: the small families who are waiting for their more permanent residence to be ready, they may rent a room.
• Friends: for convenience, students or other people who like to live together.

Uses for a room rental agreement:

The tenant has a boyfriend or girlfriend

A room rental agreement can help set boundaries when you are wary of your roommate or other tenants having their significant others over 24/7. After all, over all the time, having someone who is not covered under the lease might result in increased electricity, utility bills, and precarious situations.

Your roommate has someone continuously staying over

This agreement is essential to keep your place private, quiet, and undisturbed. It enables you to outline days of the week when roommates can’t throw parties, cause excessive noise, or have uninvited guests.

When you want to hand out household expenses and other costs

No one wants that the other sits back and does nothing and they be the only roommate washing dishes or paying for cleaning supplies. Executing a room rental agreement enables parties to identify how household and other essential costs are divided.

You want to hand over respective property maintenance duties

Someone will have to shovel the driveway, decks, and other community areas during winter months. While, someone in summer have to mow the grass and attend to other general lawn-care duties. For basic maintenance duties, the burden should not fall solely on one party. So make sure you provide for these situations in your agreement.

You want to develop quiet hours

For roommates and potential tenants, noise complaints are among the most common causes of concern. It is essential to develop quiet hours for not only a tenant’s comfortability but also their sanity.

What does happen if you don’t have a room rental agreement?

Without a room rental agreement, you and other tenants may have to face the following consequences;

Lost money

If either of the parties moves out early without notice then the other party may have to pay more rent or pay for damage to the property.

Lost time

You might be tasked with an unexpected search for a replacement roommate if the previous roommate departs early and without notice. Without an agreement, you can’t resolve disputes if they arise.

Lost property

Borrowed personal property may get damaged or never returned without a room rental agreement. During the course of a tenancy, if community property is damaged then either of the parties may have to pay the bill.

Serious headaches and stress

Exhausted relationship is the main consequence of not stating a party’s rights and obligations under a contract. Your landlord may distrust you because of your roommate’s behavior or late rental payments.

How do you write a room rental agreement?

Here are the steps to write a room rental agreement;

Step#1; fill in room rental agreement details

• Date of agreement: provide the effective date of the agreement form.
• Principal tenant name: provide the full name of the principal tenant. Principal tenant is the individual renting the room to the subtenant.

Step#2; identify property address

• Property address: type the street address of the room the person is renting to the subtenant. Enter any room, unit, or apartment number.

Step#3; provide the lease details

• Term or length of lease: fill in the start date of the lease. Enter the end date of the lease or the date that the lease continues on a month-to-month basis.
• Tenant name: enter the complete name of the subtenant renting the room. The monthly rent amount, security deposit amount (if any), and a description of the room rental should be included.

Step#4; fill in any security deposit amount

• Total security deposit: specify the total amount of the security deposit for the property. This must be indicated in the original lease agreement.

Step#5; explain how tenants will share utilities

• Utilities included in rent: mention whether or not the rent includes any utilities. In case, yes, specify a list of all utilities.
• Utilities not included in rent: state whether or not the tenants will share the utility amounts for utilities not included in the rent. Provide the name of the person listed on the utility bill and how tenants will share the costs in case tenants will share the utility amounts.

Step#6; enter parking details

• Parking details: indicate whether or not the room rental contains parking privileges. Provide the subtenant’s name, vehicle description, and parking spot in case parking is included.

Step#7; write any legal considerations

• Renter’s insurance: specify whether or not the subtenant requires to buy renter’s insurance. In case, yes, give the following details;
  1- The name of the insurance company
  2- The monthly rate of the insurance policy
  3- The name of the signer(s) on the policy
• Early termination: provide the number of months’ notice the tenant must provide to terminate the room rental agreement.

Step#8; fill in behavior stipulations

• Pets: state whether the subtenant can have pets on the property or not. Provide the pet’s name, type of pet, and the pet owner’s name in case the principal tenant allows pets.
• Chores/household duties: determine how often the tenants will discuss household duties.
• Overnight guests: specify whether the subtenant can have overnight guests or not.
• Noise level/quiet hours: write start and end times and any quiet hours.
• Parties/entertaining: you can select to indicate the maximum number of friends allowed over at a time. State the number of days’ notice prior to the event the subtenant must discuss with the principal tenant if a subtenant wants to invite more than the number specified here. Mention the number of days’ notice prior to the event the subtenant must discuss with the principal tenant in case a tenant wants to host a large gathering.
• Smoking and alcohol use: indicate whether the principal tenant allows smoking or alcohol on the property or not. If allowed, then state particular smoking areas and particular hours when the subtenant can drink alcohol.

Step#9; identify additional terms

• Governing law: determine the state’s laws that instruct the construction of this room rental agreement.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)