30+ Sample Rent a Room Agreements

What Is a Rent a Room Agreement?

A rent a room agreement is a legal and formal agreement document that is used to layout all the information about the rental of a given room property. A basic rental agreement contains all the responsibilities of the room owner to the tenant and the other way around. More so, this document gives a clear idea of the rights and entitlements of each party. A lot of room owners and landlords use a rent a room agreement to make sure that a room rental transaction will be as smooth as possible since all necessary information needed to be known by both parties are already set out.

Types of Rent a Room Agreement

If you are an owner of a room that you would like to open for rent, you have to create a rent a room agreement that can serve as the document that can bind you and the person who plan to rent the room. Before you start drafting this document, you first need to have a concrete idea of the type of rent a room agreement that you need to develop. There are different kinds of rent a room agreement that can be used for varying circumstances. Here are some types of rent a room agreement:

1. Room Rental (Roommate) Agreement

A room rental (roommate) agreement is developed if a single room will be shared by two tenants. This type of rent a room agreement is very important to ensure that both tenants are aware of how they can respect the private and communal areas within a limited room space. Having a room rental (roommate) agreement can also be beneficial to the landlord of the property as it will be easier for him or her to ensure the clarity of the property’s rules and regulations to both tenants just by using a single document.

2. Room Rental Within a Household Agreement

A room rental within a household agreement is created by a home owner who would like to have one of the rooms within the house rented. Developing a room rental within a household agreement is essential when it comes to ensuring that the tenant who will occupy the room is reminded of the parts of the house that he or she can access and those that are off-limits based on the specifications of the particular rent a room agreement.

3. Single Tenant Per Room Rental Agreement

A single tenant per room rental agreement is a simple rent a room agreement between a tenant and a landlord. Unlike a room rental (roommate) agreement where two entities are sharing the same room, this specific agreement deals with a tenant who will rent a room just by himself or herself.

4. Multiple Tenants Per Room Rental Agreement

A multiple tenants per room rental agreement is a document that is set to be developed if there are a number of people who will serve as tenants of the same room. In this set-up, the rent a room agreement is very important to make sure that all of these entities will be very mindful of their actions so to not cause any disputes or misunderstandings among themselves within the entire lease term where they need to deal with the specified shared living conditions.

10 Steps for Creating an Excellent Rent a Room Agreement

Between April and August of 2017, landlords screen two applicants at an average for every rental property (source: mysmartmove).  If you plan to accept a renter or a tenant, you have to prepare a rent a room agreement right away. Ensuring that you have the specific document at hand can help you become more confident that you are setting the tone of the room owner-to-tenant relationship appropriately. Here is a step-by-step guide that can enable you to easily create an excellent rent a room agreement:

Step 1: Download a Rent a Room Agreement Template That You Can Easily Modify

Look for an editable room rental agreement template that can set the formatting or structuring of your rent a room agreement’s layout. Properly select the best template so you can have higher chances of having a well-developed, organized, and presentable rent a room agreement. With the help of the template that you have chosen, create a header and a title for the document.

Step 2: Present the Entities Involved in the Transaction

List down the entities who are involved in the rental agreement. Give the names of the tenant and the renter. Make sure to specify their involvement in the transaction as well as the date when they have agreed upon the content written in the rent a room agreement.

Step 3: Provide Information About the Room Being Rented

Be specific with the description of the room being rented. Indicate the location of the property where the room is at, the expected duration of the rent, and the starting date of the room’s rental.

Step 4: Identify the Term of Room Rental

Is the room rental considered as a transaction renewable on a month-to-month basis? Or is it a long-term room rental with a given end or termination date? Clarify the term of the room rental as this can help you refer to the document if a renewal is necessary or if the agreement already needs to be terminated. With this in mind, make sure to come up with a termination clause that can specify the end date of the transaction as well as the notice period that should be given prior to ending the tenancy.

Step 5: Give All the Details About Rent Payment and Security Deposit

Use a segment to describe the payment responsibilities that will be given to the tenant who will rent the room. Clarify the amount that needs to be given to the landlord as a security deposit and give all the specifications about its return. Aside from this, present the amount that needs to be paid on a monthly basis or on any time duration as specified on the agreement. Make your accepted mode/s of payment clear so to set proper expectations during the period where it is already expected for the tenant to pay his or her rent.

Step 6: List down the Utilities Included in the Rent

You have to list all of the utilities that are included in the rent. Provide a concise list of all the accessible areas within the property that the tenant of the room can also make use of.

Step 7: Have a Particular List of Household or Property Rules and Regulations

Your rent a room agreement must contain a discussion about your policies. It is essential for the tenant to be aware of your rules and regulations so that he or she can be mindful of the things that he or she should do and should not to so to abide by your guidelines.

Step 8: Present a Statement or a Segment for Conflict Resolution

Potential resolution for disputes should also be a part of your rent a room agreement. This can help you resolve issues about the room rent should any arise in the future.

Step 9: Create Additional Terms, Agreement Clauses, and Miscellaneous Provisions

Aside from the items listed above, it will be up to you on what more to include in the document based on the range of the room rental agreement that you would like to realize. Use a modification clause that can be used for possible rent a room agreement modifications as you have to remember that the content of the document cannot be altered or changed unless both the tenant and the landlord or property owner agree to do so, in writing. Write any additional and special arrangements that you’ve had with the person who will rent the room in this area of the agreement document.

Step 10: Ensure That the Landlord and the Tenant Will Affix Their Signatures in the Document

To finalize the document and to make it effective and valid, let the landlord and the tenant sign the rent a room agreement. Make sure that the final and updated version of the rent a room agreement is being signed by both parties to ensure the accuracy of all the details specified in the document.

Benefits of Developing a Clear Rent a Room Agreement

Having a rent a room agreement can help you set the proper expectations of all parties involved in the lease transaction. Aside from this; there are still many more advantages that can be experienced by the landlord, the room owner, and the tenant if an excellent rent a room agreement will be created. Below are more benefits which the specified entities can get if a clear rent a room agreement is made available during the initial parts of a room rental transaction.

A rent a room agreement can properly establish and record all the items that the tenant and the landlord have agreed upon: Your rent a room agreement can serve as a legal and valid evidence that can showcase the agreement that occurred between a room owner or landlord and a tenant. This can be very beneficial especially if a particular dispute has already resulted to be a court case, and proof of the agreement is necessary to serve as a supporting document.A rent a room agreement can present all the necessary information about room maintenance obligations, conditions on repairs, and other responsibilities both on the side of the tenant and the landlord or property owner: Responsibilities and obligations naturally come along whenever a room rental transaction is at hand. With this, it is important for you to clarify who is responsible for what. Your rent a room agreement can particularly give an idea about the deliverable that is expected from both parties within specific time periods.A rent a room agreement can specify all the legal rights that a renter, a landlord, and/or a room owner is entitled with within the entirety of the lease term: The rights of both the tenant and the landlord must be protected by the rent a room agreement. Being able to do this can help both parties be reminded of their entitlements especially at times when there are certain issues that need to be clarified within the duration of the lease term.A rent a room agreement can ensure landlords that the renters or tenants of a room are made aware of the property’s rules, policies, and regulations: Using a rent a room agreement can ensure all parties that negligence on their part can result to punishments or specific call-to-action. Having these items written in a legal document can let the tenant and the room owner know that there is nothing personal when dealing with these instances.

Dos and Don’ts for Making the Best Rent a Room Agreement

With the appropriate usage of a rent a room agreement, you can clarify all the areas of concern coming from both parties. This is why it is very important for you to seriously take the responsibility of creating an outstanding rent a room agreement. Do not worry as there are actually a lot of strategies that can make the job of drafting the specific document easy but still effective. A few guidelines and tips that can help you make the best rent a room agreement document are as follows:

Do’s

1. Do Select a Template That Can Properly and Systematically Present All the Details of the Rent a Room Agreement

You have to make the most out of the rental agreement contract template that you have selected. When using a template to format the content of your rent a room agreement, make sure that you will give the proper focus on the segments or sections of the agreement that are essential to be known and remembered by all parties involved in the rental transaction.

2. Do List Down Accurate and Precise Information in the Rent a Room Agreement

We recommend you to first use an outline or a checklist of the things that you would like to discuss before creating the actual rent a room agreement. Using organizational tools can be very effective in terms of providing you with the things that you have to remember and prioritize as you try to come up with an excellent rent a room agreement document.

3. Do Ensure That Your Rent a Room Agreement Is Updated 

Even if you already have a template at hand, it is still important for you to make sure that you will update your rent a room agreement from time to time. Consider market trends, rental requirements, changes in rental fees, and other items that can signal the need for the modification of your rent a room agreement. Remember that a rent a room agreement, once the lease term begins, cannot be changed unless otherwise stated. With this, you have to make sure that you will update your rent a room agreement template before letting the tenant sign it for approval.

Don’ts

1. Don’t Use the Rent a Room Agreement For Your Own Personal Intentions

You have to consider the rights of your tenant whenever you decide to make a rent a room agreement. Set your personal intentions as a landlord aside as these can only negate the purpose of developing an outstanding and highly-usable rent a room agreement. Always look into the benefits of all parties so you can optimize the usage of the specific document.

2. Don’t Make Your Rent a Room Agreement Overwhelming or Intimidating

Focus on clarity and simplicity when making a rent a room agreement. Do not use elements and other items that can make your rent a room agreement seem to be overwhelming or intimidating. Make sure that your tenants can relate to and can understand what you are saying through your rent a room agreement. Allow your rent a room agreement document to be informative without feeding your tenants too much information in one go.

3. Don’t Use Any Jargon, Discriminating Statements, Inappropriate Language, and/or Foul Words in Your Rent a Room Agreement

When making a rent a room agreement, it is important for you to remain as objective and as unbiased as possible. Do not use any derogatory or discriminating statements that can impact the emotional well-being of your tenants. More so, avoid using jargon and inappropriate language that can be misinterpreted by the entities who will rent the room open for tenancy. Always remember that the content of your rent a room agreement serves as a reflection and a representation of your business.

Your rent a room agreement can benefit both the landlord and the tenant. Hence, it is essential for the particular document to always be present whenever a room rental transaction takes place. If you want to develop your own rent a room agreement, make sure to refer to the list of downloadable references that we have put together in this post.