Roommate Agreement in Georgia

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 Georgia law says

Roommate not on the lease	A roommate who did not sign the lease is not liable to the landlord unless the landlord accepted payment from them or the landlord's other actions created a landlord-tenant relationship. A roommate who leases from the original tenant is a subtenant: they occupy through the tenant, not the landlord, and the landlord's mere acceptance of a subtenant's rent does not by itself make the subtenant the landlord's tenant. Whether a person is a tenant depends on the agreement and conduct, such as paying rent, primary residence, belongings and length of stay. Source: Georgia Landlord-Tenant Handbook (Dept. of Community Affairs), pp. 13-14, 23
Removing a roommate or subtenant	A tenant who rents to a subtenant is in a landlord-tenant relationship with that person, and Georgia allows removal only through the court dispossessory process: the owner demands possession, then files a dispossessory affidavit in magistrate or another authorized court if the occupant refuses. Self-help evictions such as lockouts or utility shutoffs are illegal. Official code not freely readable online; text verified on a public code mirror (code year 2024). Landlords cannot step in to resolve disputes between roommates unless there is a lease violation or criminal act (Handbook, p. 23). Source: O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-1(a), 44-7-50(a); Georgia Landlord-Tenant Handbook, pp. 14, 17

Roommate not on the lease

A roommate who did not sign the lease is not liable to the landlord unless the landlord accepted payment from them or the landlord's other actions created a landlord-tenant relationship. A roommate who leases from the original tenant is a subtenant: they occupy through the tenant, not the landlord, and the landlord's mere acceptance of a subtenant's rent does not by itself make the subtenant the landlord's tenant.

Whether a person is a tenant depends on the agreement and conduct, such as paying rent, primary residence, belongings and length of stay.

Source: Georgia Landlord-Tenant Handbook (Dept. of Community Affairs), pp. 13-14, 23

Removing a roommate or subtenant

A tenant who rents to a subtenant is in a landlord-tenant relationship with that person, and Georgia allows removal only through the court dispossessory process: the owner demands possession, then files a dispossessory affidavit in magistrate or another authorized court if the occupant refuses. Self-help evictions such as lockouts or utility shutoffs are illegal.

Official code not freely readable online; text verified on a public code mirror (code year 2024). Landlords cannot step in to resolve disputes between roommates unless there is a lease violation or criminal act (Handbook, p. 23).

Source: O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-1(a), 44-7-50(a); Georgia Landlord-Tenant Handbook, pp. 14, 17

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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 · Georgia 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.