Roommate Agreement Template
A roommate agreement records the household arrangements between people sharing a home in Canada — how rent and utilities are split, how chores and guests are handled, and how disputes are resolved. Our free template is a plain-English contract designed for shared-accommodation situations that typically fall outside provincial Residential Tenancies Acts.
Note: This Roommate Agreement is a private arrangement between co-occupants. It is not a legal tenancy agreement and does not create a landlord-tenant relationship. The primary lease with the landlord remains the governing document for all tenancy matters. Canadian courts may enforce the terms of this agreement as a private contract.
Guests: Overnight guests are permitted with advance notice to the other roommate.
Smoking: Smoking (including cigarettes, cannabis, and vaporizers) is not permitted inside the premises.
Pets: No pets are permitted without prior written agreement of both roommates and the landlord.
What Is a Roommate Agreement?
A roommate agreement is a private contract between two or more people sharing a home that sets out the practical and financial arrangements of the household. It is usually signed in addition to, or instead of, a lease with the landlord and it covers rent shares, utility splits, cleaning responsibilities, noise, guests and what happens when one roommate wants to move out.
In Canada, many shared-accommodation situations fall outside provincial residential tenancy legislation. Section 5(i) of the Ontario Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, S.O. 2006, c. 17 excludes a situation where the "tenant" shares a kitchen or bathroom with the owner of the unit or the owner’s immediate family, and roommate-only relationships where two tenants share on the lease are likewise not directly regulated by the Landlord and Tenant Board. British Columbia and Alberta have similar carve-outs.
Because these situations are governed by ordinary contract law rather than the tenancy statute, the written agreement is effectively the only rulebook. A clear roommate agreement prevents the typical household flashpoints — unpaid utility bills, disputes over damage, guests staying too long — and provides an evidentiary basis for a small claims court action if the situation deteriorates.
What's Covered in This Template
Our Canadian roommate agreement template covers every topic that typically causes friction in a shared household.
Roommate Details
Full legal names of every roommate and the address of the shared home.
Lease Reference
A note on the underlying lease with the landlord, whether joint or individual, and who holds the tenancy.
Rent Split
Each roommate’s share of rent, the due date, and the method of payment to the landlord or primary tenant.
Utilities and Services
How utilities, internet, streaming and household supplies are divided and paid.
Security Deposit Contributions
Each roommate’s contribution to any last-month rent or BC/AB security deposit, and how refunds will be divided.
Private and Shared Areas
Which bedrooms and storage spaces are private, and rules on use of kitchen, bathrooms and common areas.
Chores and Cleaning
Rotation or allocation of cleaning tasks and a basic standard of tidiness for shared areas.
Guests and Overnight Stays
Rules on guests, overnight stays and at what point a frequent guest needs to be approved or added to the lease.
House Rules
Noise, smoking, pets, shared food and quiet hours, tailored to the household’s preferences.
Dispute Resolution and Move-Out
Process for handling disputes, notice required to leave, and allocation of any damage or unpaid costs.
How to Create a Roommate Agreement
Follow these steps to produce a clear Canadian roommate agreement.
- 1
List the Roommates and the Home
Identify every roommate by full legal name and confirm the shared address and any private rooms each person occupies.
- 2
Agree the Money
Set each roommate’s share of rent, utilities, internet and supplies, and agree how the security deposit (if any) is funded and refunded.
- 3
Set House Rules
Agree rules on guests, noise, cleaning, pets, smoking and sharing food, with a clear expectation of respect and privacy.
- 4
Plan for Change
Agree how much notice a roommate must give to move out, how replacements are chosen, and how damage or unpaid shares are handled.
- 5
Sign and Keep a Copy
Every roommate signs and retains a copy. Review the agreement annually or whenever a new person joins the household.
Legal Considerations
Roommate agreements in Canada are governed by ordinary contract law, not by the Residential Tenancies Acts that regulate landlord-tenant relationships.
This template is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a qualified lawyer in your province for advice specific to your situation.
Reviewed for Canadian law
Why the RTA Often Does Not Apply
Section 5(i) of the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, S.O. 2006, c. 17 removes from the Act a living arrangement where the occupant shares a kitchen or bathroom with the owner or the owner’s immediate family. Roommate-only relationships where two co-tenants rent from the same landlord but have no landlord-tenant relationship between themselves are likewise not governed by the Landlord and Tenant Board. British Columbia (Residential Tenancy Act, S.B.C. 2002, c. 78, s. 4) and Alberta (Residential Tenancies Act, R.S.A. 2000, c. R-17.1, s. 2) contain comparable carve-outs.
Joint vs Several Lease Liability
Where roommates are all named on the lease with the landlord, they are usually jointly and severally liable for the full rent. That means the landlord can pursue any one roommate for all the rent if another roommate fails to pay. A roommate agreement does not bind the landlord, but it allows the paying roommate to recover the short-fall in small claims court from the defaulting roommate under ordinary contract principles.
Privacy and Shared Spaces
Roommate relationships are outside the scope of the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, S.C. 2000, c. 5 (PIPEDA) for most purposes since they are not commercial activity. The Canadian agreement should still set clear rules on access to private rooms, use of mail, and sharing of personal information with landlords, guests or other parties to prevent avoidable disputes in Canadian shared-housing situations.
Enforcement in Small Claims Court
Enforcement of the roommate agreement is generally through the provincial small claims court — for example the Small Claims Court of Ontario (a branch of the Superior Court of Justice under the Courts of Justice Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.43) for claims up to $35,000, the Civil Resolution Tribunal in British Columbia for smaller disputes, and the Court of Justice in Alberta. A signed written agreement makes quantifying the claim straightforward and is strong evidence of what was agreed.
Frequently Asked Questions
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