The roommate agreement, and why you want one.
Nobody moves in planning to fight about the hydro bill. It happens anyway, and almost every time it's because two people assumed different things and never wrote anything down. A roommate agreement is just that: the assumptions, on paper, before anyone's annoyed.
What it is, and what it isn't
A roommate agreement is a written understanding between the people sharing a place. It is not your lease. The lease is the legal contract with your landlord, and that's what governs your tenancy. The roommate agreement sits underneath it and covers the day-to-day stuff the lease doesn't: who does dishes, how bills get split, whether people can have guests over. It's less about being able to sue someone and more about never getting to the point where you'd want to.
Make it before you move in
Timing is the whole trick. Writing down house rules at the start, when everyone's still excited and reasonable, takes twenty minutes over coffee. Trying to agree on rules after someone's partner has basically moved in without paying rent is a fight. Do it early, while it's boring.
The best time to write the rules is when nobody needs them yet. The worst time is right after someone broke one that was never written down.
What to actually put in it
You don't need legal language. Plain sentences everyone signs off on are fine. Cover these:
- Rent. The total, each person's share, when it's due, and how it gets paid to the landlord. If shares aren't equal because rooms differ in size, spell that out. Our guide on splitting rent and bills fairly goes deeper here.
- Bills. List each one (power, internet, heat, water if separate) and who's responsible for setting it up and collecting from everyone. Decide if it's split evenly or by usage.
- The deposit. Who paid what into the damage deposit, and how it gets divided back when people move out.
- Cleaning. Whether you rotate chores, split by area, or just agree on a standard. Kitchens and bathrooms cause the most grief, so be specific about those.
- Guests. Overnight visitors, partners staying over, and the line between a guest and someone who's quietly living there rent-free. This is a top-three source of roommate conflict, so name it.
- Noise and quiet hours. Especially around exams. A simple "quiet after 11 on weeknights" saves a lot.
- Shared versus personal. What's communal (cleaning supplies, maybe basics like oil and spices) and what's strictly yours (your food, your stuff).
- Someone leaving early. The big one. What happens if a roommate wants out mid-lease? Do they find a replacement, cover their share until someone does, or forfeit part of the deposit? Agreeing on this upfront prevents the worst arguments.
Keep it simple and revisit it
A page is plenty. Write it, have everyone sign or just reply "agreed" in a group chat so there's a record, and keep it somewhere you can find it. If something's clearly not working a month in, change it together rather than letting resentment build. The document is a tool, not a cage.
It starts with the right roommate
No agreement fixes a bad match. The cleanest way to avoid roommate problems is to live with someone whose habits already line up with yours, which is the entire point of matching on sleep schedule, cleanliness, budget, and study habits before you commit. If you're still looking, run through the questions to ask before you sign, and start from a good match rather than a Kijiji stranger.
Find a roommate you won't need to fight with.
SubSwap matches verified students on how they actually live, so the agreement is the easy part. Free to join with your university email.
Frequently asked questions
Is a roommate agreement legally binding?
It's mainly a written understanding between the people sharing a place, not a substitute for your lease. It matters because it puts everyone on the same page in writing, which prevents most arguments and gives you something to point to if one starts. Your lease with the landlord is the legal document.
What should a student roommate agreement include?
Rent and how it's split, who pays which bills, the deposit and how it's returned, cleaning and chores, guests and overnight visitors, quiet hours, shared versus personal items, and what happens if someone moves out early. Cover the money and the friction points and you've covered most of it.
When should roommates make an agreement?
Before you move in, while everyone is still being reasonable and no one is annoyed yet. Writing it down at the start is easy. Trying to agree on rules after a conflict has already happened is much harder.