Roommate Agreement in Arkansas

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 Arkansas law says

Roommate not on the lease	Under the Arkansas Residential Landlord-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. Text from the enacted act (Act 1004 of 2007); later amendments may change details. Source: Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-301 (definitions of 'rental agreement' and 'tenant')
Removing a roommate or subtenant	A tenant who rents to a roommate is a 'sublessor', which the Act treats as a 'landlord'. Without a fixed term the roommate's tenancy is month to month (week to week for a roomer paying weekly), ended by written notice of 30 days (7 days for week-to-week). If the roommate stays, the leaseholder brings a court action for possession (unlawful detainer). Subletting may also require the landlord's consent under the main lease. Text from the enacted act (Act 1004 of 2007); later amendments may change details. Source: Ark. Code Ann. §§ 18-17-301, 18-17-401(c), 18-17-704; § 18-60-304

Roommate not on the lease

Under the Arkansas Residential Landlord-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.

Text from the enacted act (Act 1004 of 2007); later amendments may change details.

Source: Ark. Code Ann. § 18-17-301 (definitions of 'rental agreement' and 'tenant')

Removing a roommate or subtenant

A tenant who rents to a roommate is a 'sublessor', which the Act treats as a 'landlord'. Without a fixed term the roommate's tenancy is month to month (week to week for a roomer paying weekly), ended by written notice of 30 days (7 days for week-to-week). If the roommate stays, the leaseholder brings a court action for possession (unlawful detainer).

Subletting may also require the landlord's consent under the main lease. Text from the enacted act (Act 1004 of 2007); later amendments may change details.

Source: Ark. Code Ann. §§ 18-17-301, 18-17-401(c), 18-17-704; § 18-60-304

Fill it in

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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 · Arkansas 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.