Roommate Agreements for College Students
Students sharing off-campus housing need a written record of how rent, utilities, deposits, bedrooms and household responsibilities are divided even when everyone is on the same lease.
Recommended lease, roommate and sublease paths
What to put in writing
- Rent and utility shares
- Bedroom and parking assignments
- Deposits and shared purchases
- Guests, cleaning and quiet hours
- Move-out and replacement-roommate process
Timing and legal review
Create the roommate agreement before money changes hands or move-in, and review the landlord lease because a roommate agreement cannot override it.
General information only, not legal advice. Verify the master lease, property rules, landlord consent requirements, and current state and local law before signing or accepting payment.
Student and academic housing
Academic terms, internships and rotations do not replace the written housing agreement. Use exact occupancy dates and match the document to the actual lease, roommate or sublease relationship.
Nationwide and multilingual resources
Use the property’s state and locality—not the worker’s employer, school or home state—to review the rental rules that may apply.