Roommate Agreement: The 7 Conversations You Need Before Signing

A roommate agreement isn't a contract you sue someone with. It's a forcing function — it makes you have the awkward conversations BEFORE they become arguments at 11pm on a Sunday. Here are the 7 you absolutely need.

1. Who pays what (and exactly when)

Rent split, utilities split, internet — every shared expense. "Roughly half each" is the source of every roommate fight. "Roommate A pays $1,400 by the 1st via Venmo to Roommate B, who pays the landlord by the 3rd" is peace.

2. What happens if someone moves out early

This is the conversation nobody has — and the one that causes 80% of roommate lawsuits. Standard solution: the leaving roommate is responsible for finding a replacement and continues paying rent until a replacement is found and approved by the other roommates AND the landlord.

3. Overnight guests

How many nights a week is okay? How long can someone stay before it becomes "they basically live here"? Standard limit: max 3 nights per week, max 7 consecutive nights, anything longer requires advance notice and mutual agreement.

4. Quiet hours

Be specific: "Quiet hours are 10 PM to 7 AM on weekdays, midnight to 8 AM on weekends." Music, TV volume, video calls — all subject to quiet hours. This sounds petty until you have a roommate who thinks 11 PM is "still early."

5. The chore split

You don't need an Ikea-spreadsheet level chore wheel — but you need to write down: who handles which common areas, and how often. Default that works: rotate weekly between bathroom, kitchen, common spaces. Each person handles their own dishes within 24 hours.

6. Shared groceries (or no shared groceries)

Most fights happen here. Easiest rule: no shared groceries at all. Each roommate buys, labels, and eats their own food. Shared staples (toilet paper, dish soap, paper towels) rotate — one person buys for one month, the other for the next.

7. How to handle disagreements

Yes, write this down. "If a dispute arises, we will schedule a 30-minute meeting within 7 days to discuss. If unresolved, [trusted third party / mediator]." Just having a process means small grievances don't fester for 6 months.

Put it in writing — it takes 10 minutes

Our free roommate agreement template has all 7 conversations pre-structured. Walk through it with your roommate over coffee. The conversation matters more than the document — but the document forces the conversation.

A final thought: revisit the agreement every 6 months. Things change — work schedules, partners, financial situations. A 5-minute check-in saves weeks of resentment.