Roommate Agreement in Washington

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 Washington law says

Roommate not on the lease	A tenant is any person entitled to occupy a dwelling unit primarily for living purposes under a rental agreement, and 'landlord' includes a sublessor. A roommate not on the lease is a tenant only under their own rental agreement with the landlord or with a tenant acting as sublessor. If the tenant permanently moves out, the landlord may serve the remaining occupants who lived with the tenant a notice requiring them to apply to become a party to the rental agreement or vacate within 30 days of service. The 30-day apply-or-vacate rule does not apply to subsidized housing. Just-cause rules: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.650. Source: RCW 59.18.030(18), (33), (39); RCW 59.18.650(3)
Removing a roommate or subtenant	Washington requires a listed 'just cause' to end most residential tenancies, and a sublessor counts as a landlord. One listed cause applies to shared housing: where an owner or lessor shares the dwelling unit, or access to a common kitchen or bathroom, with the tenant, the owner or lessor may end the tenancy with at least 20 days' notice before the end of the rental term or period. Source: RCW 59.18.030(18); RCW 59.18.650(2)(i)

Roommate not on the lease

A tenant is any person entitled to occupy a dwelling unit primarily for living purposes under a rental agreement, and 'landlord' includes a sublessor. A roommate not on the lease is a tenant only under their own rental agreement with the landlord or with a tenant acting as sublessor. If the tenant permanently moves out, the landlord may serve the remaining occupants who lived with the tenant a notice requiring them to apply to become a party to the rental agreement or vacate within 30 days of service.

The 30-day apply-or-vacate rule does not apply to subsidized housing. Just-cause rules: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.650.

Source: RCW 59.18.030(18), (33), (39); RCW 59.18.650(3)

Removing a roommate or subtenant

Washington requires a listed 'just cause' to end most residential tenancies, and a sublessor counts as a landlord. One listed cause applies to shared housing: where an owner or lessor shares the dwelling unit, or access to a common kitchen or bathroom, with the tenant, the owner or lessor may end the tenancy with at least 20 days' notice before the end of the rental term or period.

Source: RCW 59.18.030(18); RCW 59.18.650(2)(i)

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 · Washington 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.