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A roommate agreement form is a document stating house maintenance rules, like division of household work, quiet hours, cleaning schedule, and guest invitation. The best part about the agreement is that it offers perks to both parties who sign it and ensures the protection of their rights for a specific tenure.
The following blog will highlight the details of a roommate agreement form, its significance, key terms, and other relevant information.
What Do You Mean by a Roommate Agreement Form?
A roommate agreement form is a legally written contract between individuals that outlines their respective rights and obligations while they live together for a specific period. The agreement form also comprises house maintenance duties and rules, restricted behaviours, payment schedules, etc. Everyone sharing a particular household must agree and sign the roommate agreement form for the document to be beneficial.
What Is the Significance of a Roommate Agreement Form?
Living with roommates has its share of challenges, whether in an apartment or a household. A roommate agreement form allows the tenants to discuss house rules, financial responsibilities, and other household duties. Moreover, the legal document lets individuals discuss how disputes can be resolved. Here is a brief of situations that can benefit from the roommate agreement form.
- An individual and their friend are moving together.
- A person moving in with a lesser-known acquaintance.
- An individual renting the household or apartment to someone else.
- A current roommate is subleasing the household or apartment to someone else.
- An individual moving into a college dorm with a dormmate.
A roommate agreement form is in a written format to implement the points effectively and to avoid conflicts.
What Are the Provisions of a Roommate Agreement Form?
The roommate agreement form’s terms and conditions must reflect each tenant’s specific situation. The agreement form must be signed by both parties for the court to make it enforceable by law. It must include the following provisions and information.
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Information About the Property, Original Lease, and the Roommates
Every roommate agreement form must include tenant names and the rental property’s address, including the zip code, street name, city, and state. If there is an existing lease agreement, the form must include whether it automatically renews or ends on a fixed date. Adding the landlord’s details in the same agreement form is also necessary.
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Length Of the Agreement
Every roommate agreement form must specify the end date. Tenants must ensure that if they have a lease agreement, the roommate agreement must end on the same date. In the agreement form, they can ask their respective attorney to mention the fixed end date or the fixed number of weeks, months, or years.
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Rent Responsibilities
The roommate agreement must specify the rent responsibilities that will be divided among the tenants. Tenants may decide to split the rent depending on their situation, keeping in mind that the landlord would want a single rent payment instead of multiple transactions. They can consider designating one of the roommates to collect the entire payment and send it to the landlord.
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Security Deposit
The agreement form must state whether the landlord requires a security deposit for the specific property. Most importantly, the form must specify how the deposit will be shared between two or more roommates. Most roommates split the security deposit at the beginning of a lease and get it back after they move out.
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Household Costs and Utilities
The roommate agreement form must specify how the household costs and utilities are divided among the roommates or tenants. The household costs and utilities may include the following expenses.
- Water
- Gas
- Wifi
- Electricity
- Telephone
- Television service
- Trash removal
- Yard maintenance
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Rules, Duties, and Restrictions
A roommate agreement form includes basic house rules that may vary depending on the tenant or roommate’s requirements. Such guidelines in the legal document clarify everyone’s expectations and reduce the chances of disputes and disagreements. The form can specify rules regarding the following subjects.
- Illegal activities
- Alcohol
- Smoking
- Guests
- Quiet hours
- Personal property
- Gatherings and celebrations
Apart from the basic house rules, the roommate agreement form should specify how the bedrooms, household duties, parking spaces, etc., will be divided among the tenants.
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Termination of Tenancy
The roommate agreement form must include terms and conditions related to the termination of tenancy. The form can include the following list of questions for the tenants:
- Can one individual terminate their roommate’s tenancy period?
- How much notice does a person have to give before leaving the household?
- How many days after leaving will the roommate provide the forwarding actress?
- How much time should the departed roommate get before discarding their abandoned property?
What Will Happen If a Roommate Moves Out?
If one of the roommates decides to move out, the remaining tenants can ask for a new roommate agreement form from the landlord with reviewed terms and conditions. They can also try finding a new roommate before proceeding with a new agreement form.
The roommate agreement form is a legally binding document that helps fulfil the household obligations of the tenants; hence it is necessary to keep renewing it once the tenure period expires or someone moves out of the household.
Why Do You Need a Lawyer for the Roommate Agreement Form?
The roommate agreement form becomes a legal contract once both parties sign it; hence it is necessary to review all terms and conditions beforehand to prevent future disputes and disagreements. So, the best solution is to approach a professional lawyer to draft and review the agreement form.
Key Terms Related to a Roommate Agreement Form
The roommate agreement form is an essential legal document that ensures the security of all individuals staying together as roommates. However, all the concerned parties must understand the key terms related to the agreement before signing the form. Here is a glossary of key terms related to the roommate agreement form.
- Rent: The breakdown of the payment amount to be made by each tenant for the household.
- Security Deposit: The amount of money each tenant must pay for the household.
- Utilities: The amount contributed by each tenant for essential items.
- Division of Living Space: It includes the division of common spaces between the tenants, such as the living room or the bedroom.
- Division of Foods: It implies whether the tenants will share or purchase the food individually.
- Quiet Hours: The time of the day or night when excessive noise is discouraged.
Conclusion
A roommate agreement form is significant because it helps outline the rules and obligations to be followed by the tenants living in a common household. It also helps clarify expectations from the landlord’s side regarding rent payments and security deposits. The agreement, including its rules and provisions, may be difficult for people to understand. That is why it is advisable to seek legal assistance to draft and review the roommate agreement form.
If you are searching for professional help to draft your roommate agreement form, Contracts Counsel is your answer. Visit the website now and post a project to get the best legal assistance for your requirements.
Meet some of our Roommate Agreement Form Lawyers
Craig M.
I have been practicing law for more than 7 years in Maine and have owned my law practice, Dirigo Law LLC, since 2020. My practice focuses mostly on Real Estate / Corporate transactions, Wills, Trusts, and Probate matters.
Melissa G.
My name is Melissa “Mel” Green and I provide legal counsel to entrepreneurs, start-ups, and small businesses that is clear, concise, and focused on the practical impact of decisions. As trusted legal counsel, I proactively identify risks, and develop effective, practical solutions that protect my clients businesses, create positive outcomes, and help mitigate legal exposure. My areas of expertise include business formation, contract law/commercial transactions, healthcare law, and intellectual property. I also provide services as an outside general counsel or “fractional general counsel”. Prior to starting my own law firm, I spent the majority of my career in-house at large and small corporations, both for profit and not-for-profit, working with senior and executive management, in addition to other stakeholders at a variety of management levels. to proactively identify and address risks, mitigate legal exposure, streamline processes, lead persuasive negotiations that are integral to ensuring positive outcomes for the organization, and deliver hands-on, spectacular client service. There came a time when I realized that individuals and smaller entities were not receiving the same level of legal support and guidance as mid-size to large companies and as a result, individuals and small businesses were not growing and sustaining on the same level. I wanted to use my expertise to provide those that were underserved by the legal market with competent counsel at an affordable price. With the increasing number of new businesses, I knew that I could make a difference to those that needed legal guidance but were putting it off in fear of “Big Law” prices. I love to “partner” with my clients, get a deep understanding of their business, develop lasting professional relationships and watch them prosper. I want to find a way to help my clients maximize the reach, value and impact of their business. Services that I have provided over the course of my career: (i) reviewing, drafting and negotiating commercial agreements (leases, MSAs and SOWs, consulting services agreements, confidentiality agreements, SaaS agreements, coaching agreements, independent contractor agreements, coaching agreements, photographer agreements, waivers and releases, licensing agreements, etc.), (ii) business formation (operating agreements, written consents, bylaws, etc.), (iii) preparing policies and procedures for businesses in highly regulated industries, (iv) conducting federal trademark searches and filing trademark applications/preparing trademark opinion letters after conducting appropriate legal research, and (v) general business counsel.
Robert Jay H.
My Legal career hasfocused on representing businesses (corporations and limited liability companies) as general outside counsel. In this capacity, I have drafted a broad range of legal documents as well as analyzed proposed agreements drafted by the other party's attorney to the agreement for the pupose of determining the risks to which my client would be exposed. I maintained the client's minute book if no one in-house was available for that task. Additionally, if rquested, I served as a general advisor to the client's executive offers and to its Board of Directors.
July 29, 2021
Stanley K.
Stan provides legal services to small to medium-sized clients in the New England region, and throughout the U.S. and abroad. His clients are involved in a variety of business sectors, including software development, e-commerce, investment management and advising, health care, manufacturing, biotechnology, telecommunications, retailing, and consulting and other services. Stan focuses on the unique needs of each of his clients, and seeks to establish long term relationships with them by providing timely, highly professional services and practical business judgment. Each client's objectives, business and management styles are carefully considered to help him provide more focused and relevant services. Stan also acts as an outsourced general counsel for some of his clients for the general management of their legal function, including the establishment of budgets, creation of internal compliance procedures, and the oversight of litigation or other outside legal services.
July 30, 2021
Sam W.
Sam Widdoes has practiced law in California since 2014. He began his career as a litigation associate at a boutique firm in Los Angeles, and founded a production development company with a partner in 2017. Since then, Sam has served as the head of business and legal affairs at District 33, while working hand-in-hand with writers, directors and actors to develop, pitch and produce scripted and unscripted content. In that role, Sam produced the documentary series BLACKBALLED for Quibi/Roku, and will produce the upcoming documentary feature AS WE SPEAK directed by J.M. Harper for Paramount+/MTV, and the doc series THE BLACK BOX for MRC and XYZ Films. He is also the executive producer of an upcoming limited series with CBS TV starring Judith Light and Noah Wyle called SHADOWS IN THE VINEYARD, and a feature comedy for Spyglass Entertainment, among other projects. In early 2022, Sam opened WIDDOES LAW, APC, after recognizing a need for experienced legal services in the unscripted and documentary spaces. Since opening his own practice, Sam has advised producers, editors, directors and rights holders on a variety of agreement negotiations, including option purchase contracts, collaboration agreements and documentary producer deals. Sam also serves as production counsel for several documentary features, series and short films, and will draft, negotiate and advise on all legal aspects of the projects, including financing, production and distribution. Sam earned his Juris Doctor from The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law in 2013, where he graduated on the Dean's List and as a member of the Society of Trial Advocates. He holds a BA in journalism from the University of Richmond, and sits on the Board of Trustees at Turning Point School in Culver City, California. Sam is passionate about quality storytelling, and supporting those with the vision and drive to share their stories with the world.
August 3, 2021
Robert D.
Robert is a skilled corporate lawyer, licensed to practice law in NY and DC. He has over 25 years of experience, with a focus on Venture Capital, Private Equity, M&A, General Business Law and Company Formation. Robert brings business side experience to every legal transactions. This allows him to shape a client's legal needs around its business goals to drive success in an effective and efficient manner.
August 4, 2021
Spencer W.
I’m a New York based attorney with substantial experience in media and art law, corporate structuring and commercial contracts. For the past several years, I have been advising startups and new business on their legal needs, with a special focus on tech and entertainment.
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