Guide · Roommates and shared living

Renting a Room in Your Home

A friendly, practical guide to sharing your home with a roommate or boarder, from getting ready to living well together.

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Where to start

Thinking about renting a room?
Call your insurance agent first, then work through getting the room ready.
Someone just moved in?
Give a full tour on day one. See once someone moves in.
A problem came up?
Pick a calm moment. See if a problem comes up.

The short version

Renting a room in your home can be a wonderful way to share costs and space, and it works best when expectations are clear from the very start.

Talk through quiet hours, guests, shared spaces and bills before move-in, and put the agreement and house rules in writing.

Call your insurance company before anyone moves in, and encourage your roommate to carry their own renters insurance.

Treat every applicant the same way, describe the room rather than the person in your listing, and respect the privacy of the rented room.

Rules for renting a room differ from place to place, so we’d gently encourage a quick look at your local rules. If you ever have questions, we would love to help.

Four simple rules

1
Talk it through first
Share how the home works, from quiet hours to guests, before anyone says yes. Surprises are what strain a shared home.
2
Put it in writing
Rent, deposit, shared costs, house rules and how either side can end the arrangement all belong in a written agreement.
3
Treat everyone fairly
Use the same questions, the same standards and the same process for every person who asks about the room.
4
Respect private space
The rented room is that person’s home. Knock, ask and give notice before entering, except in a true emergency.

Try it

Getting the room ready

From the guide’s own checklist. Tick each one as you go. Your ticks stay on this device. These are examples; your home may need others.

0 of 6

The room is safe: a working smoke alarm nearby, a CO alarm where needed, a working lock and a way out in an emergency
Called your insurance agent before anyone moves in
Checked the rules where your home is, including any HOA, lease, mortgage or local rental requirements
Wrote a room rental agreement and house rules, with the same screening steps for every applicant
Cleared out the room and closet, and set aside fair shelf, bathroom and storage space
Completed a move in report together, with a comment on every item, in any condition, and photos to match

Try it

Once someone moves in

From the guide’s own checklist. Tick each one as you go. Your ticks stay on this device. These are examples; your home may need others.

0 of 6

Gave a full tour on day one: shutoffs, breaker panel, alarms, exits, appliances and trash day
Shared keys and codes in writing, with a simple list of who has what
Handled repair requests promptly and shared when they will be done
Gave reasonable notice before entering the rented room, and respected their privacy
Kept receipts and records for rent, deposits and shared bills
If the arrangement needs to end, followed the agreement and the rules where your home is, kindly and in writing

If a problem comes up

Take a breath. Most roommate problems are honest misunderstandings about expectations.
Pick a calm moment to talk in person, not right in the middle of the frustration.
Describe what happened and how it affects you, without blaming.
Look at the written agreement and house rules together.
Agree on one small, specific change and write it down.
If you still can’t agree, a community mediation service, a local landlord or tenant association, or an attorney can help.

When something bothers you, try “I noticed… and I wondered if we could…” It opens a friendly conversation instead of an argument.

Printable checklist

Like it on paper?

The printable checklist for this guide is fillable, with a screen version and an ink saver print version. Keep it on your phone or pin it to the fridge.

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Test yourself

How much do you remember?

4 quick questions from this guide, with a one line why for each. Totally optional, no sign in, and your answers are never saved.

From The Perfect Series

Go deeper with The Perfect Rental Owner Checklist Workbook

Simple, step by step checklists you can write in for owners who rent out a home: contractors, insurance, fair pricing, records, showings and more.

See The Perfect Rental Owner Checklist Workbook All books in The Perfect Series

Keep the full guide handy

The PDF has everything: everyday habits, what to do when something goes wrong, common myths, helpful resources and plenty of real-world tips. Print it, save it or share it with anyone who could use it.

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Roommates and Neighbors Checklist PackThe Roommates and Neighbors checklists in one pack, fillable on screen or printable.
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This guide shares general information to help you, and is not legal or insurance advice. Bunklow does not inspect properties or decide deposits.