Roommate Agreement in Michigan

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 Michigan law says

Roommate not on the lease	Under Michigan's Landlord-Tenant Act, a 'tenant' is an individual who occupies a rental unit for residential purposes with the landlord's consent for an agreed-upon payment, and a 'landlord' includes a sublessor. A roommate who pays the leaseholder may be that person's subtenant; one who pays nothing may be only a guest or licensee. Which applies depends on the facts. Source: MCL 554.601(a), (g)
Removing a roommate or subtenant	A leaseholder who rents to a roommate must end the arrangement with proper notice (for a tenancy at will, generally notice equal to the rent-payment interval, or 7 days for nonpayment) and, if the roommate stays, recover possession through summary proceedings in district court. For summary proceedings, a 'lease' includes a written or verbal lease or license agreement. Lockouts, removing belongings and shutting off essential utilities without a court order expose the person to damages. Source: MCL 554.134; 600.5701(c); 600.5714(1)(c); 600.2918

Roommate not on the lease

Under Michigan's Landlord-Tenant Act, a 'tenant' is an individual who occupies a rental unit for residential purposes with the landlord's consent for an agreed-upon payment, and a 'landlord' includes a sublessor. A roommate who pays the leaseholder may be that person's subtenant; one who pays nothing may be only a guest or licensee. Which applies depends on the facts.

Source: MCL 554.601(a), (g)

Removing a roommate or subtenant

A leaseholder who rents to a roommate must end the arrangement with proper notice (for a tenancy at will, generally notice equal to the rent-payment interval, or 7 days for nonpayment) and, if the roommate stays, recover possession through summary proceedings in district court. For summary proceedings, a 'lease' includes a written or verbal lease or license agreement. Lockouts, removing belongings and shutting off essential utilities without a court order expose the person to damages.

Source: MCL 554.134; 600.5701(c); 600.5714(1)(c); 600.2918

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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 · Michigan 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.