Roommate Agreement in Maryland

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 Maryland law says

Roommate not on the lease	Maryland's eviction statutes cover not only the tenant but also 'someone holding under the tenant', and court summonses go to the 'tenant, assignee, or subtenant' or person in actual possession. A roommate who lives in the unit through the leaseholder can therefore be bound by an eviction against the tenant and is liable for holdover damages. Whether a roommate is a tenant of the owner, a subtenant or a guest depends on the facts. Source: Md. Code, Real Prop. §§ 8-401(b), 8-402(a)-(b)
Removing a roommate or subtenant	No statute sets a special process for a tenant removing a roommate. A person entitled to possession who wants to remove a periodic or at-will occupant gives the required written notice to quit and, if the occupant stays, files a tenant-holding-over complaint in District Court; if no landlord-tenant remedy applies, a wrongful detainer complaint is available. Landlords may not lock out tenants or cut off utilities; possession may be taken only under a court warrant of restitution executed by a sheriff or constable. Notice periods for month-to-month tenancies are 60 days from the landlord (7 or 21 days for week-to-week). Source: Md. Code, Real Prop. §§ 8-402(b)-(c), 8-216, 14-132

Roommate not on the lease

Maryland's eviction statutes cover not only the tenant but also 'someone holding under the tenant', and court summonses go to the 'tenant, assignee, or subtenant' or person in actual possession. A roommate who lives in the unit through the leaseholder can therefore be bound by an eviction against the tenant and is liable for holdover damages. Whether a roommate is a tenant of the owner, a subtenant or a guest depends on the facts.

Source: Md. Code, Real Prop. §§ 8-401(b), 8-402(a)-(b)

Removing a roommate or subtenant

No statute sets a special process for a tenant removing a roommate. A person entitled to possession who wants to remove a periodic or at-will occupant gives the required written notice to quit and, if the occupant stays, files a tenant-holding-over complaint in District Court; if no landlord-tenant remedy applies, a wrongful detainer complaint is available. Landlords may not lock out tenants or cut off utilities; possession may be taken only under a court warrant of restitution executed by a sheriff or constable.

Notice periods for month-to-month tenancies are 60 days from the landlord (7 or 21 days for week-to-week).

Source: Md. Code, Real Prop. §§ 8-402(b)-(c), 8-216, 14-132

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 · Maryland 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.