Before move-in day, agree on how rent and bills split, who put in what for the deposit, how chores rotate, the house rules (guests, quiet hours, food) and what happens when someone moves out. Write it down where everyone can see it.
Do it before anyone moves in
Before move-in day, a rule is about the house. A month later, the same rule is about someone. "Overnight guests twice a week" is an easy yes when nobody has a partner staying over yet. It's a fight once somebody does.
You don't need a long document. You need everyone to say yes to the same short list, and that list somewhere you can all find it.
The checklist
- Rent. Equal shares, or split by room size. Who pays the landlord, and the day everyone's share is due.
- Bills. Wifi, power, water, streaming. Whose name each one is in, how it splits, and when people pay that person back.
- The deposit. Who put in how much, so it's clear who gets what back when you move out.
- Chores. What rotates (kitchen, bathroom, trash) and how often. Say what "clean" means, because everyone thinks they know.
- Guests. Overnight guests, how often, and how much notice.
- Quiet hours and shared space. When it's quiet, and what's shared in the living room and kitchen.
- Food and supplies. What's shared (toilet paper, dish soap) and how you pay for it, and what's each person's own.
- Moving out. How much notice, who finds the next person, and how the shares change on that day.
- Disagreements. How you decide when you don't agree: talk it out, or a house vote.
A simple version you can copy
Rent: $2,400 a month, split 4 ways ($600 each), due on the 1st. Maya pays the landlord.
Bills: Wifi and power are in Sam's name, split 4 ways, paid back by the 5th.
Chores: Kitchen, bathroom and trash rotate every week.
Guests: Overnight guests up to 2 nights a week. Tell the house first.
Quiet hours: 11pm to 7am on weeknights.
Shared: Toilet paper, dish soap and trash bags come out of the house money.
Moving out: 30 days' notice. Shares re-split on the day someone leaves.
Doing it in TableCash
TableCash is an app for the people you live with. One person sets up the house and writes the house rules. Everyone who joins sees the rules and accepts them, and the app keeps a record of who accepted which version. Rent and bills split into everyone's share, chores take turns, and the app sends the reminders, so nobody has to be the one asking.
When someone moves out, set the date and everyone's share re-splits on that day. Paying your share by card carries a TableCash fee. Here's every fee and how the money works.
Common questions
What should a roommate agreement include?
How rent and bills split and when they're due, who put in what for the deposit, how chores rotate, rules for guests, quiet hours and shared food, and what happens when someone moves out.
When should roommates make an agreement?
Before move-in day. Before anyone moves in, the rules are about the house. After, every rule feels like it's about someone.
Is a roommate agreement legally binding?
It depends on your state and what's in it, and this isn't legal advice. Your lease with the landlord comes first. A written agreement mostly helps by making sure everyone said yes to the same thing.
How do you split rent with roommates fairly?
Equal shares are simplest. If rooms differ a lot in size or one has its own bathroom, split by room instead and write the numbers down so nobody has to remember them.
Agree on the rules and the money before you move in.
Get TableCash Get it on AndroidFree to download. For people 18+ who live in the U.S. Fees and how the money works