Roommate Agreement in Alabama

An agreement between roommates on rent shares, bills, chores and moving out. It is a contract between you — it does not change your lease with the landlord.

What Alabama law says

Roommate not on the lease	Under the Alabama Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, a 'tenant' is a person entitled under a rental agreement to occupy a dwelling unit to the exclusion of others, and a rental agreement includes oral as well as written agreements. A roommate not on the lease may be a tenant if they have an agreement with the owner, a subtenant if they rent from the leaseholder, or only a guest. Which applies depends on the facts. Source: Ala. Code § 35-9A-141(13), (16)
Removing a roommate or subtenant	A tenant who rents to a roommate is a 'sublessor', which the Act treats as a 'landlord'. The leaseholder must end the roommate's tenancy with proper written notice (for example 30 days for month-to-month, 7 days for week-to-week) and, if the roommate stays, file an eviction action in district or circuit court. Subletting may also require the landlord's consent under the main lease. Source: Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-141(7), 35-9A-441, 35-9A-461

Roommate not on the lease

Under the Alabama Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, a 'tenant' is a person entitled under a rental agreement to occupy a dwelling unit to the exclusion of others, and a rental agreement includes oral as well as written agreements. A roommate not on the lease may be a tenant if they have an agreement with the owner, a subtenant if they rent from the leaseholder, or only a guest. Which applies depends on the facts.

Source: Ala. Code § 35-9A-141(13), (16)

Removing a roommate or subtenant

A tenant who rents to a roommate is a 'sublessor', which the Act treats as a 'landlord'. The leaseholder must end the roommate's tenancy with proper written notice (for example 30 days for month-to-month, 7 days for week-to-week) and, if the roommate stays, file an eviction action in district or circuit court.

Subletting may also require the landlord's consent under the main lease.

Source: Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-141(7), 35-9A-441, 35-9A-461

Fill it in

Nothing you type leaves your browser. Replace anything still highlighted, and keep a signed copy.

ROOMMATE AGREEMENT for [rental address]

Roommates: [roommate names]

Rent: total $[total rent] per month. Shares: [each roommate's share]. Each share is paid to [who pays the landlord] by [due date].

Security deposit paid by each roommate: [deposit shares]. When someone moves out, their share is returned [how and when].

Utilities and internet: [how bills are split and who holds each account].

Rooms and shared spaces: [who has which room; shared areas].

Cleaning and chores: [chore plan]. Quiet hours: [quiet hours]. Guests: [overnight guest limits].

Moving out: a roommate who leaves gives [notice period] written notice to the others and [finds a replacement approved by the landlord / pays their share until the lease ends].

Disputes: we will first try to talk it out, then [mediation or small claims court].

Signatures and dates: [signatures]

Roommate Agreement for other states · Alabama tenant rights

General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.