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Room rental agreement template

Short answer

A room rental agreement sets the terms for renting a single room in a shared house or flat: the room, rent, deposit, which bills are included, house rules and how either side ends it. This template is free to fill in and download as a PDF, and you can send it for e-signature in Sign PDF with the Landlord's and Tenant's boxes placed for you.

Updated 25 October 2026

What's in this room rental agreement

The full text. Words in brackets are filled in from the form above.

1. Parties and room. This agreement is between [Landlord name] (the Landlord) and [Tenant name] (the Tenant). The Landlord lets to the Tenant [Room] (the Room) at [Property address] (the Property).
2. Shared areas. The Tenant may use the kitchen, bathroom, living areas and garden of the Property in common with the other occupants. The Tenant has exclusive use of the Room only.
3. Term. This agreement starts on [Start date] and continues from month to month until ended under this agreement.
4. Rent. The Tenant will pay rent of [Rent], due on [Rent due]. The first payment is due on the start date.
5. Deposit. The Tenant will pay a deposit of [Deposit] before moving in. The Landlord will hold it as required by local law and return it within 14 days after the Tenant leaves, or sooner if the law requires, less any reasonable cost of unpaid rent or bills, or of repairing damage beyond fair wear and tear, with an itemised list of any deductions.
6. Bills. Bills are dealt with as follows: [Bills]. The Tenant will use utilities reasonably.
7. House rules. The Tenant will follow these house rules: [House rules]. Repeated or serious breaches of the house rules are a breach of this agreement.
8. Use and care. The Tenant will use the Room as a private home for one person only, keep it clean and in good condition, report any repair needed promptly, not make alterations, and not sublet or share the Room without the Landlord's written consent.
9. Landlord's duties. The Landlord will keep the Property, its fixtures and the appliances provided in good repair and safe condition, and will keep the shared areas usable.
10. Access. The Landlord may enter the Room to inspect or carry out repairs after giving at least 24 hours' notice, or the longer period local law requires, except in an emergency.
11. Ending the agreement. Either party may end this agreement by giving [Notice period] written notice, or the longer period local law requires. On leaving, the Tenant will remove their belongings, return all keys and leave the Room clean.
12. Local law. If the law where the Property is located gives the Tenant greater rights or requires different terms, that law applies and this agreement is read accordingly.
13. Governing law. This agreement is governed by the laws of [Governing law], and the courts of that place have jurisdiction over any dispute arising from it.
14. Entire agreement. This is the entire agreement between the parties about the Room. Any change must be in writing and signed by both parties. It may be signed electronically.
Signed by: the Landlord, the Tenant, each with a signature, printed name and date.

When to use it

Use it when you let a room in a home you own or rent, or when a landlord lets rooms in a shared house one by one. It covers the room itself and shared use of the kitchen, bathroom and living areas, which a standard whole-property lease does not handle well.

If the tenant will have the whole property, use a full tenancy or rental agreement instead. If you are a tenant subletting a room, check your own lease allows it first.

What the key clauses do

These are the points room rental templates are searched for, and the ones that cause arguments in shared homes.

Room and shared areas: which room is let and which parts of the home the tenant may use.
Rent and due date: the amount and the day it is paid each month.
Deposit: the amount and when and why deductions can be made.
Bills: which utilities are included in the rent and which are shared or paid separately.
House rules: quiet hours, guests, cleaning, smoking and pets, written down before anyone moves in.
Notice: how either side ends the arrangement.

How to adapt it

Housing law is local and often protective. Depending on where the home is, a person renting a room may be a lodger, a licensee or a tenant with statutory rights; deposits may need to be protected in a government scheme; and there may be minimum notice periods, licensing for shared houses, or rules on rent increases. This template says local law prevails, but you still need to know what it requires.

This template is a starting point, not legal advice. Check the rules where the property is, or ask a local landlord association or housing adviser, before you rely on it.

Getting the room rental agreement signed

Fill in the boxes above and download the room rental agreement as a PDF, free and with no account. To get it signed, send it from Sign PDF: the signature, name and date boxes for the Landlord and the Tenant are already placed and labelled, so you only add each signer's email.

Each signer opens an email link, confirms a six-digit code sent to their inbox and signs in the browser on a phone or laptop, with no app and no account. When the last person signs, the boxes are written into the PDF, a certificate of completion is added at the end, and the file is sealed with a digital signature and a timestamp so any later change shows.

Tenants can sign from a phone before moving day, and both sides keep the sealed PDF. Landlords with several rooms usually choose the Full plan at $10 a month and save the agreement as a template.

Questions people ask

Is a room rental agreement the same as a lease?

Not quite. It covers one room plus shared areas, often in a home where the landlord also lives. Depending on local law, the person renting may be treated as a lodger or licensee rather than a tenant with a full lease.

Do I need to protect the deposit?

In some countries and states, yes, even for a single room. Check the local rules before taking a deposit.

Can the house rules be changed later?

Reasonable changes can be agreed in writing. Major changes, such as adding a rent charge for bills, should be agreed by both parties and signed.

Can a room rental agreement be signed online?

Yes. Electronic signatures are generally accepted for residential lettings. A few places require extra formalities for long leases, which a monthly room rental rarely is.

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See every signature, initial and date box placed before you sign up. Sending starts at $5 a month, monthly, cancel any time.

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