Roommate Agreement in Texas

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 Texas law says

Roommate not on the lease	Under Texas residential tenancy law, a tenant is a person authorized by a lease to occupy a dwelling to the exclusion of others, and a lease can be written or oral. 'Landlord' includes a sublessor. A roommate not on the written lease is a tenant only if a lease (including an oral one) with the landlord or with a tenant acting as sublessor authorizes them to live there. Source: Tex. Prop. Code § 92.001(2), (3), (6)
Removing a roommate or subtenant	No roommate-specific statute. A tenant or subtenant who refuses to leave on written demand after their right of possession ends commits forcible detainer, as does a tenant at will or by sufferance. The person entitled to possession must give at least three days' written notice to vacate (unless a written lease sets a different period) and then file an eviction (forcible detainer) suit. When the tenancy is ended for holding over beyond the rental term, the landlord must also meet the tenancy termination requirements of Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001 (§ 24.005(a)). Source: Tex. Prop. Code §§ 24.002(a), 24.005(a)-(b)

Roommate not on the lease

Under Texas residential tenancy law, a tenant is a person authorized by a lease to occupy a dwelling to the exclusion of others, and a lease can be written or oral. 'Landlord' includes a sublessor. A roommate not on the written lease is a tenant only if a lease (including an oral one) with the landlord or with a tenant acting as sublessor authorizes them to live there.

Source: Tex. Prop. Code § 92.001(2), (3), (6)

Removing a roommate or subtenant

No roommate-specific statute. A tenant or subtenant who refuses to leave on written demand after their right of possession ends commits forcible detainer, as does a tenant at will or by sufferance. The person entitled to possession must give at least three days' written notice to vacate (unless a written lease sets a different period) and then file an eviction (forcible detainer) suit.

When the tenancy is ended for holding over beyond the rental term, the landlord must also meet the tenancy termination requirements of Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001 (§ 24.005(a)).

Source: Tex. Prop. Code §§ 24.002(a), 24.005(a)-(b)

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 · Texas 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.