The roommate lease agreement is designated for the rental of a specific room within a larger domicile. The current occupants and the new tenant must include the terms of use that will be applicable to the inhabitancy. These terms should cover the use of any common areas, the amount owed each month (for rent & utilities), and any required responsibilities/duties for the household. After all the stipulations have been made and agreed upon, each party should supply their signature and printed name in the indicated section of the form.
College Roommate Agreement – This document is more specific to the shared housing of college students.
A roommate agreement is a contract that is separate from the lease made between the occupants of a shared household. Its purpose is to clarify the obligations of each member of the property in order to create a harmonious environment. Various components that you would not find in a regular rental contract are covered within the document, making it a legitimate record of the standards expected by all the residents inhabiting the premises. If at any time a roommate fails to meet one of the document’s guidelines, this form can be enforced to either oust the infringing party or ensure that they rectify the issue.
In today’s world, many individuals prefer to cut the cost of living by sharing a residence with others, especially those who live in bigger cities where the rents can be quite high. Having said this, it is crucial that you select a roommate that you feel will be responsible and not cause friction in the household. Below is a step-by-step guide that can enhance your chances of pairing up with the right individual to share a rental property with.
Unless you are the owner of the property, you are going to want to first review your lease to see what the rules are concerning the addition of a new roommate. If there are no details regarding this issue, you should confer with the landlord as to whether or not they will permit another occupant to live on the premises. Most landlords are accomodating in regard to this matter as long as the number of roommates corresponds with the number of bedrooms in the unit. Depending on their requirements, the new resident may be considered:
(Note: When asking to add another individual to the current living situation, there is always a chance that the landlord may seek to increase the rent, request more money for the security deposit, or even demand that a new rental contract be written up altogether.)
Your first approach when looking for a roommate should be trying to find someone that you know. This way, there is already an established rapport between the parties and you will feel more secure. To do this, you should start by:
If sharing space with a familiar party is out of the question, whether you are living in a new area or just can’t find anyone who needs housing, you may turn to the aid of various online services. Providers of these services would include:
Whether you created an ad or just responded to others’, you should eventually find someone that seems like an acceptable candidate. Prior to meeting up, you should discuss any aspects of the tenancy that you feel are essential to a balanced roommate relationship. If they are on the same page, you can schedule an interview by taking the following measures:
If you are the owner or principal tenant of a property that you plan to share with a new roommate, you may want to consider investigating their background by having them submit a rental application. By doing this, you will be able to verify information regarding their credit score, past rentals, job history, and criminal background, as well as obtain the contacts of references that can vouch for them as a reliable person. Websites that can assist you in running a background check for the applicant include:
Once you have found a roommate that you feel confident about living with, it will be time to carry out the roommate agreement form. This should not be confused with a lease agreement, which is a contract that is specifically between the landlord and tenant of the property. Rather, it is a document that holds all parties accountable concerning their role as a fellow housemate. The primary sections of the agreement that should be established include:
After filling in each area of the form, all participants should sign the document to confirm that they understand the stipulations made within the agreement. Congratulations! You have now successfully created a new roommate relationship.
A roommate agreement is a legally binding contract. If you have a completed copy of this agreement that was signed by all parties, it is proof that there was an accord between certain individuals concerning how a roommate relationship will transpire. Now, if one of the parties does not adhere to the content of the agreement, the opposing party may present this document in court to demonstrate how the individual(s) was/were in breach of contract.
When a roommate abandons a lease agreement, it can become a bit of a sticky situation. If the roommate is a formal co-tenant listed on the lease agreement, they are technically liable to uphold the terms of the document, but at the same time, the remaining co-tenant is still liable to continue to pay the full amount of the rental payments to the landlord. Here are some actions that tenants may carry out under these circumstances:
(It is recommended for the individuals looking to become co-tenants to also execute a roommate agreement to outline a specific protocol for this type of predicament.)
The procedure for this action heavily depends on whether or not the unwanted roommate is listed within the lease agreement as a co-tenant. Review the options below to see which scenario applies to you:
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