Roommate Agreement in Alaska

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 Alaska law says

Roommate not on the lease	A 'tenant' is a person entitled under a written or oral rental agreement to occupy a dwelling unit to the exclusion of others. Per the Alaska Department of Law's guide, the Landlord and Tenant Act covers roommates only if all are on the lease or the landlord consented to a sublease; a roommate who moves in and pays the tenant without the landlord's consent gets no rights as a tenant against the landlord, and a person who stays for free is not a tenant. An unapproved roommate may still have a claim against the tenant they paid. If the landlord ends the main tenancy, the roommate must move out too. Source: AS 34.03.360(19), (22); AS 34.03.220(f); Alaska Dept. of Law, 'The Alaska Landlord & Tenant Act: What It Means to You' (2024)
Removing a roommate or subtenant	A tenant who subleases to a roommate is that roommate's 'landlord' under the Act. If the roommate does not leave after the required written notice to quit, the leaseholder must file a forcible entry and detainer (FED) case in court; lockouts and other self-help are not allowed, and police should not remove a tenant without a court order. A person in possession without a valid rental agreement and without the landlord's consent can also be removed by FED after a written notice to quit (AS 09.45.090(a)(2)(H)). Source: AS 34.03.360(11); AS 09.45.090; AS 34.03.210; Alaska Dept. of Law guide (2024)

Roommate not on the lease

A 'tenant' is a person entitled under a written or oral rental agreement to occupy a dwelling unit to the exclusion of others. Per the Alaska Department of Law's guide, the Landlord and Tenant Act covers roommates only if all are on the lease or the landlord consented to a sublease; a roommate who moves in and pays the tenant without the landlord's consent gets no rights as a tenant against the landlord, and a person who stays for free is not a tenant.

An unapproved roommate may still have a claim against the tenant they paid. If the landlord ends the main tenancy, the roommate must move out too.

Source: AS 34.03.360(19), (22); AS 34.03.220(f); Alaska Dept. of Law, 'The Alaska Landlord & Tenant Act: What It Means to You' (2024)

Removing a roommate or subtenant

A tenant who subleases to a roommate is that roommate's 'landlord' under the Act. If the roommate does not leave after the required written notice to quit, the leaseholder must file a forcible entry and detainer (FED) case in court; lockouts and other self-help are not allowed, and police should not remove a tenant without a court order.

A person in possession without a valid rental agreement and without the landlord's consent can also be removed by FED after a written notice to quit (AS 09.45.090(a)(2)(H)).

Source: AS 34.03.360(11); AS 09.45.090; AS 34.03.210; Alaska Dept. of Law guide (2024)

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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 · Alaska 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.