House Sharing Agreement

If you’ve found a place to stay and are sharing it with other people, make sure you sign a house sharing agreement before you move in. Read this article for more information on it.

Signing a house sharing agreement is important because of the following reasons.

It gives you the legal status of being a tenant of the house.
It explicitly states the amount of rent, date of paying the rent, and the deposit amount. This way, any future disputes can be avoided.
By signing this agreement, you become liable to the landlord for taking care of his property.
You get some rights as a tenant and the landlord must perform his responsibilities as well.
The agreement is a legally binding contract. It can be used as a proof of residence.
It explains the landlord’s terms and conditions of the lease agreement.

Contents of a Standard Written House Sharing Agreement
Here is a list of the general contents of a house sharing agreement. The agreement may vary from landlord to landlord. This is just a generic list.

Name of landlord
Name of tenants
Amount of deposit
Amount of monthly rent
Date of payment of rent
Interest rate for delay in rent payment
Duration of the agreement
Insurance provision (if any)
Terms and conditions regarding further sub letting
Payment of utilities like water, electricity, telephone, Internet access, etc.
Policy about any amendment to the already existing furniture and other interior decorating
A list of the owner’s property at the house
Conditions regarding the behavior of the tenants with each other
Conditions regarding the tenants’ behavior with the landlord
Conditions under which the lease can be terminated by the landlord
Notice period for voluntary termination of agreement
Policy regarding the household rules and duties of tenants

Implied/Oral Agreement
There are certain ground rules that are set amongst the co-tenants of the house regarding the following. They may be discussed orally OR can also be included in the written agreement.

Division of rent
Division of utilities bills
Division of taxes to be paid (if any)
Rules about pets
Girlfriends/boyfriends staying over
Rules about smoking and drinking
Use and maintenance of the household appliances provided by the landlord, like kitchen appliances or the television, computers, etc.
A promise to use the utilities in moderation and to avoid wastage of water and electricity
Rules about who, apart from the tenants, can be given a set of keys to the house
Who’s in charge of collecting the rent and handing the check over to the landlord
Who will take care of the cleaning of the house
Who will look after the cooking and shopping for groceries (if applicable)

A Template

HOUSE SHARING AGREEMENT
I, (name of tenant) hereby promise to pay (name of landlord), the sum of $(amount) as monthly rent and $(amount) as my share of deposit, for the accommodation at (address of house) for 6 months from (date of signing agreement).

Given below are the terms and conditions that I agree to, as a co-tenant at said address.

I will pay the monthly rent between the 1st and 10th day of the month.
I will pay a 10% interest in case of default of payment.
I will not keep any pets in the residential premises.
I will avoid wastage of water, electricity, and other utilities provided by the landlord.
I will not, by any of my activities, disturb the peaceful atmosphere around the house.
I will not, under any circumstance give, or make a copy of the house keys, for any reason, whatsoever.
I will not sublet the house without prior intimation to the landlord.
I will not carry out any illegal activities in the house.
I, along with my co-tenants, will maintain decorum at all times and take responsibility for any damage that we may cause to the landlord’s property.

I also agree that this agreement can be terminated by the landlord at his discretion if I fail to comply with any of the above-mentioned conditions.

Signed,
______
(name of tenant)
Date:
Place:

Signed,
_______
(name of landlord)
Date:
Place:

Hope this information on a house sharing agreement helped. Take care and choose a house wisely!